Being Okashira
by Ms Western Ink
Summary: The female Okashira, Misao, was looking for a husband to take over the clan...AxM
1. Part 1

**Being Okashira**

_Chapter One: A girl? A woman?_

* * *

He stopped, staring up the hill at the modest building.

The Aoiya.

He walked to it, stepping inside the bustling restaurant. Yet despite its crowd, a young woman still ushered over to serve him.

"Hello," she greeted happily. "Will you be dining alone today?"

"I'm here to see Okina." His voice was flat and toneless.

Immediately, the woman's smile faded. "I see. May I have your name?"

"Shinomori Aoshi."

She merely nodded. "This way please, he is expecting you."

He followed her through the busy restaurant, their presence hardly noticed. Through the kitchen they went also without any notice and into a back hall.

"Straight back and to the left is the door. You can't miss the path; it will lead you back to the main Aoiya building, the sleeping quarters, the training hall. It's a short walk."

He nodded briefly in thanks and moved on, but his temporary escort was already gone. He breathed in deeply the fresh air, a heavy pack on his shoulders. He peered around. A gravel path beneath his feet led to a sprawling set of buildings hidden in the dense woodland. This was the Aoiya - the Oniwabanshuu headquarters he'd heard so much about from others.

He approached it slowly, in awe of its greatness. So many skilled ninjas had learned, lived, and died at this place. He approached the building, sliding the door open without hesitation. He was not surprised to find it empty, so he kept on, stepping inside.

The main room was traditional. There was a table, cushions, and other furniture items lying about. A discarded tea set was spread over the table. He headed for the back door rather than the stairs. He stepped out into an enclosed courtyard only to discover the first set of his Oniwabanshuu brethren.

A girl, young, and a man, older and strangely masked. He watched them; the female in a typical Oniwabanshuu uniform flipped backwards gracefully calling his eye with her movement. He saw a glitter of light and then watched as a set of kunai hurled toward the masked man only to be just as excellently deflected.

They were both good, not on his level of skill, however. Everyone here was talented. Everyone here was dangerous, and if they weren't they were not worthy of the Oniwabanshuu name. He turned away silently only to stop and stare at the arrival of an elderly man. The man, shorter than himself, had a strange pink bow tied around his beard. His eyes were trained on the girl.

"Lovely girl, don't you think?"

He spared the girl a glance before turning back to the man. He seemed to smirk.

"You must be Shinomori Aoshi."

"Aa. You are?"

"You may call me 'Okina'," he replied. "Come then, we have things to discuss. You will meet Misao and Hannya later."

He followed the man, leading him back to the building he'd been in before only this time they took to the stairs and turned left leading down the hall and stepping into a room.

"I am glad you could come. I have had many recommendations for you." Okina smiled at him, but Aoshi remained stoic and unemotional. "I am pleased you are interested in the position, but there is more involved than perhaps you realize.

"You are among three candidates currently being evaluated for placement as the Okashira's consort. Being chosen, however, does not guarantee a union between yourself and the current Okashira or the transition of power from her to you, that is still very much her decision given that she is currently the acting power, even I could not make her marry."

Aoshi nodded. He knew why he was here. The position of the Okashira's 'consort' only existed when there was a female Okashira. A male consort would be chosen to assist her and if all went well, business and personal, the two would marry and she would step down from the Okashira position. What was mostly important was how well the woman and her consort got along together, a strong partnership was necessary given the power they both held over the organization.

"You will meet her later, we do not want her to know exactly why you are here yet."

Aoshi looked up from the table he'd been staring at. "She doesn't know?"

"The death of our former Okashira was quick and unexpected, his replacement is young and not strong enough to hold the title even though I know she tries her best for me. That is why I've summoned you and the others so quickly after the expiration of our leader, our new Okashira needs someone to balance the weight that has been dropped on her shoulders."

Aoshi nodded. He could do that. He was determined to win her.

* * *

The Aoiya was an impressive place. The training grounds were plentiful including a dojo, a wild field, a woodland area, the weapons hall, and an interior and exterior courtyard. There was also Okina's garden, a lovely little place to sit in the mornings and evenings. He'd yet to encounter the Okashira however, but he had only been here since yesterday. The young woman's identity was a closely guarded secret, he'd not even heard her name, she was simply called 'the Okashira'.

He mingled silently among his fellow Oniwabanshuu seeing, but not responding to their curious glances. Although it was a largely male group, some females were about here and there. Perhaps most notably were Okon and Omasu, the women who primarily worked in the Aoiya's restaurant out front of the property. There was one other female he knew by name, a young female, loud and boisterous, but cheerful. A young female by the name of Misao. He'd not spoken to her, only watched her train with her male companion, Hannya, and she in turn watched him.

There was something special about those soulful eyes looking at him. Something different than the rest of the women who vied for his attention. If she weren't so innocent, he might have said something sensual, but she was a wild, carefree person by appearances. Her smile was bright and given freely. She seemed completely out of place here in this world of spying and death.

He was disappointed when she had not shown up at dinner last night confounded by his own desire to meet with her again. His wanted to stand over the small woman and speak her name. He was currently climbing the stairs intending to head to his chambers after returning from training. She hadn't been there either. He had just reached the top when he heard a shrill shriek.

_"You did WHAT!"_

A male voice replied, but he couldn't hear what it was. Beckoned by curiosity he moved toward the sound stopping several doors down from where they were speaking in case someone made a hasty exit.

"I did not tell you because I knew you would overreact. You should know the rules of the Oniwabanshuu at your age, Misao!"

Misao, he thought.

He heard the slide of material as someone presumably stood up.

"Why should I behave more like an adult when you still treat me like a child? I grew up here, Jiya, did you really think I didn't know this was going to happen?"

He could hear her footsteps approaching the door.

"Misao!" Okina called back to her. "There's one other thing... Soujiro is coming back tomorrow."

'Soujiro'? Who was 'Soujiro'?

"What for?" She asked, her tone terse.

"I am surprised you need to ask - Soujiro is one of our best. He is a candidate."

"'A candidate', is that what you're calling them?" She laughed and he cringed at the tone. She sounded bitter and maybe hurt. "I'm surprised there's so much effort to be made when all you really need them to do is get me pregnant, right?"

If she really thought that, all his thoughts suddenly froze.

'...Get _me _pregnant...'

_Her_!

She..._She _was the Okashira?

The door slid open and she stepped out. She looked toward him, sliding the door closed with a prim 'snap'.

"Ah, Shinomori-san. Really, how could I have overlooked you? Naturally that's why you're here... Silly me." She murmured stepping past him and continuing down the hall.

Aoshi was stunned. That young woman was the Okashira, no wonder she needed a consort! However drawn to her he might feel she was not Okashira material. He was basing his opinion entirely too much on his impressions of her, but she was making it easy for him. Determined not to be on bad relations with her so soon, he followed.

Young and immature aside - she was the Okashira, and his opinion of her wouldn't change that.

He followed her along an unmarked path through the woodland and out toward a lake. A large lake, he corrected staring out into the murky waters. He pondered briefly the possibility of leeches.

She was staring uneasily past him over the still water.

"Okashira?"

Should he call her that?

He approached closer coming to one side of her and yet keeping several feet of space between them. He turned his eyes to her face, surprised to see tears on her cheeks. She expressed herself so easily.

"Why do you still call me that? You are one of the men Jiya chose to marry me, and yet you still call me 'Okashira'. You make me feel old."

"As opposed to calling you Misao-chan and making you feel young?" It slipped before he could stop it. She turned her gaze to him, startling him with the emptiness of it.

"You want to be the Okashira, Aoshi?"

His reply was silence.

"How did you get that scar across your chest?"

He almost smirked. He liked that about her - her lack of preamble. She said what she wanted the way she wanted to say it. She'd seen the large scar across his chest the day before in training when he'd walked out of the room, discarding his shirt. He was sweating and the damp cloth had been bothering him.

"Tell me why you are crying and I will tell you where my scar comes from," he replied thinking it a fair exchange. The wound had been a painful one, but her memory too was something painful. Their relationship needed to have some base to it and with what he was discovering about her emotional state he worried she might be cold toward him.

It would be to his advantage anyway if she had a liking for him. Especially if he was chosen to wed her, otherwise he still wished to maintain a good relationship with the Okashira, even if she was giving up the title to the man she married, she was still a powerful woman.

"I fell in love with someone who loved someone else and am stupid enough to keep crying over it."

"Is that it?"

"Soujiro is coming back tomorrow, if he had any luck he probably brought her back with him."

"'Her'?

"Komagata Yumi, my competition for Soujiro," she replied. "Well, I'm not much competition for her. If I was a spiteful person I'd be happy she was in love with someone else, but I'm not."

He knew who Komagata Yumi was, a well-known stage actress and a top of that a very sensual woman. It was no wonder Misao felt unable to compete with a woman like her, but Misao was also much younger.

"You are not on an equal level with Komagata."

She turned to glare at him. "You didn't have to point that out!"

He cursed his bad wording silently. "I meant, she is much older. You cannot expect to have her knowledge or experience enough to compete on the level that would place you on." Seeing she was clearly offended he continued hastily. "Komagata Yumi is not..."

She started him by breaking off into laughter. When she finally settled down a moment or so later, her eyes were bright and almost glowing again with life. "I appreciate the thought, but you are awful with words."

She looked away from him again, her happiness dimming.

"The scar - we had an agreement."

She didn't look back, but he knew she was waiting for his explanation.

"I was obsessed once, with proving myself to the former Okashira. I left the Oniwabanshuu for a year, traveling, determined to make myself stronger. I met a man in Tokyo, stronger than myself. He defeated me in fair battle, but I wouldn't let it go and went back to challenge him again. The only thing that saved my life was his vow never to kill an opponent."

He looked over, and was surprised she was smiling at him. "Oh. I haven't done anything like that, but that's probably a good thing." She motioned absently to the Aoiya. "They would fall apart without me."

He didn't realize it yet, but in the coming weeks he would discover just how right she was. That Makimachi Misao was the entire centerpiece of the Oniwabanshuu headquarters family and they all would give everything to protect her. Nor did he realize he too would be drawn into her sweet web, giving everything he had for her.

End Chapter One.

* * *

Minor revisions: 02/15/05 


	2. Part 2

**Being Okashira **

_Chapter Two: This is the Competition?_

* * *

"Speak, you fool!"

Aoshi stopped, walking back. _What?_

He peered in the open doorway only to see the other members gathered around the front of the room, all seated quietly. What was this? Impromptu theatre?

Tinkling laughter drew his attention as he noticed the young Okashira, Misao, just to his right inside the doorway. She was leaning back against the wall, her eyes trained on the performers. Apparently, it was comedy.

He glanced away from the stage again toward her. She seemed thoroughly amused.

"Problems, Aoshi?"

She surprised him, her awareness. Her eyes flickered to his frame silently, plastering a smile on her face. "Would you like to take a walk with me? I could use the break and Hannya will be angry if I go alone."

"Aa."

He followed her out, but not before noticing a young male near the right wall was watching her. Not just watching, _intensely _watching. He turned standing in front of Misao's fading form to block the man's gaze as he followed her out. Was that Soujiro?

"Ah, there you are my pretty Misao!"

Aoshi stepped out just to see Okina sweep Misao into an air-restricting embrace. After several moments of sputtering the man finally released her. He was about to say something when he looked up at Aoshi.

"Ah... Just like my pretty Misao to capture a beau already. Where are you two sneaking away to?"

"Jiya!" Misao snapped, a blush tinting her cheeks. "It's nothing like that. Don't you have something to be doing?"

She managed to ward off the old man but he was still casting them lecherous glances as he walked away.

"Jiya has an overactive imagination and no one to waste it on but me," she explained briefly continuing to walk.

He caught her easily with his long strides having to walk slowly beside her.

"Has he arrived yet?"

He wasn't sure why he was asking about Soujiro, he wasn't that interested. Or, so he told himself. He hadn't stopped thinking about her and her explanation to him the previous day. It had, honestly, haunted him all night although he wasn't sure quite why. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the girl but she lingered in his thoughts often.

More often, that is, than any other female that he'd met here. Of course maybe that was proper, she _was _the Okashira.

"Soujiro?" She nodded. "He's here. I'm... I'm trying to just be me, it's... not so easy. I've known him for a long time so, he knows when I'm not being honest with him. Actually," she laughed nervously. "I'm a very bad liar to the Oniwabanshuu members that live here at the Aoiya. They know me too well."

They walked silently for a few minutes when something else occurred to him. "What about the third candidate?"

She nodded. "Right, Honjo Kamatari is his name. He's here... you'll meet him later."

To say he was curious was an insufficient description of this man who would be his competition. Seta Soujiro was excluded already by Misao's feelings for the man. They passed through a grove of miniature trees, when the footsteps beside him stopped.

"Oh."

He looked down to see what was troubling her and why she had stopped moving. Her gaze was directed across the way at someone. A woman? Without warning she started jumping up and down excitedly.

"Kamatari!"

The figure in the furisode turned and to his surprise, reacted just as cheerfully as Misao.

'Kamatari?' He blinked. No way, he thought watching as the figure approached. Misao remained where she was at his side.

"Hey! I was wondering where you were!"

Aoshi stared down at the figure. Who was this?

"Ah, catch yourself a man Misao and didn't tell me? I thought we were sisters."

This caused Misao to giggle as she shook her head. "Shinomori Aoshi, this is Honjo Kamatari. Kamatari, this is Shinomori Aoshi."

Kamatari sidled closer to Misao elbowing her conspiratorially and whispering not so lowly. "He's a quiet one, eh?"

Misao just laughed turning her gaze up to Aoshi. "Don't be fooled by the kimono - he's all man underneath, no matter what he tries to say about it."

Had he been a man of weaker composition, he would've paled. That was a man!

He tried not to shudder at the thought. This then was his competition for Misao? A man in a dress and a man who broke her heart. There was no way he could possibly _not _be picked. It was the hollowest victory he'd ever had, but who was he to complain?

Misao was an odd, but jubilant female, he didn't rule out the possibility he would lose the position anyway. Even if he did follow her around like a puppy willing to cater to her every whim to get it. She didn't really treat him like a servant. She did two things whenever he was around her, talk to him, or to hum to herself. Most of the time she didn't seem to expect answers, she just kept on chatting.

She and Kamatari were presently giggling over something, he didn't put off the possibility it was him. Misao seemed to take interest in his quiet, subdued personality and in the last day or so was beginning to be more noticeably comfortable around him by making note of it. Her very casual use of 'Aoshi' had also surprised him. She'd called him 'Shinomori' all of twice, if he remembered correctly, before she'd begun using his given name. Of course, she seemed to do that to everyone.

"Well I'm sure it will all work out. I'm going to go check out the kitchen. If I am dismissed, Okashira?"

Kamatari made a big show of bowing and Misao's humor vanished as she made a very serious 'nod', only to crack up laughing. Kamatari walked off leaving them alone again in the little grove.

"That's him?"

She turned her eyes up to him, her happiness, and humor vanishing. "Odd, isn't it? Kamatari can't stand in Soujiro's shadow in means of skill, I won't pick Soujiro under any circumstances, and then there's you. A man I've heard little about until very recently."

Recently? Had she gotten reports about him personally before he'd arrived?

"Chiku, your former base commander has been inundating the Aoiya with reports of you. I suppose it's his way of recommending you. That or he and Okina are trying to drop you in my lap or something."

He wouldn't discard that possibility. They were odd competition, or maybe he was the odd one. He did wonder though why he would suddenly be thrust to the front of the line to be in this position though. It seemed strange to him although he had no doubts about his qualifications or abilities to actually handle the job.

"Well, anyway, Hannya is away on official business today so - you want to train with me?"

He nodded silently. "Do you need anything from the training hall? I've got everything I require already."

He glanced over her small figure. She was dressed as was typical for her in the dark colored shorts set of her Oniwabanshuu uniform. He also was dressed in a uniform; his kodachi never left his side. Yes, he was prepared.

He shook his head to indicate he needed nothing and followed as she led him down another path, away from the Aoiya. "Okay then, off we go on a training adventure!"

He was admiring the cord of hair hanging down her back when she suddenly stopped, turning to him. "You know, you don't have to follow me around like you do. Hannya usually does that although he gives it a rest every once in a while. Despite what the others say about me being reckless and overly-aggressive I rarely leave the safety of the Aoiya. It's just weird that every time I turn around I almost walk right smack into you." She waved a hand. "It doesn't matter I guess, I was just wondering."

She turned and continued without an answer.

"But you really should talk more. Open up a little, relax. "

She turned off walking into a field.

"I like it out here, nice and wild. Okay with you?"

"Aa."

She smiled reaching around behind her. He reached out instinctively, following the movement of her body with his own, startled as his fingers closed around a kunai blade. He looked up to see her grinning at him. He hadn't been expecting that.

"I had business to take care of the other night so I couldn't make it to dinner. Shiro brought me dinner at my office and we talked for a while. He was telling me about this spider he'd seen once. The female spider would lure a mate into her web, mate with him, and then eat him." She laughed suddenly walking toward him. "You remind me of that... except in reverse... sort of. I feel like that around you, like I'm going to get my head bit off."

She held out her hand, now in front of him, and he release the kunai back into her grip. The shiny metal dropped into her little palm.

"Anyway I'm glad you caught that, if you hadn't I'd be in all sorts of trouble. You'd think being the Okashira you couldn't _get_ into any trouble... not true!" she declared. "I would know."

She continued rambling on and he listened. She stopped some feet away and stared, now silent, back at him. He slid his kodachi from his waist and tossed it to the ground. It wouldn't do to engage her with such a weapon, she had nothing to use in defense. She slid down into a kenpo stance and he followed.

"We aren't on the same level, but I'll go easy on you." Her eyes glittered merrily and he couldn't resist the smirk.

She was small in frame, which meant she had very little physical strength to use against him. She would have to be quick and agile to have any advantage in a fight, which by her kunai throwing earlier, was not a problem for her. She moved skillfully, he noted, seeming to flow from one movement to another. Until she back flipped away from him and fell into a heap on the ground, and came up rubbing her shoulder.

"Ouchies! I do that wrong every time!" She looked up, a blush tinting her cheeks. "I hurt my wrist a couple weeks ago and I haven't exactly let it heal properly so every time I do a back flip, I fall over. I keep hoping every time I try it won't hurt." She laughed uneasily.

She pulled herself up; apparently not injured enough not to want to continue and he followed her lead. She was well trained, he determined. Her form was solid and she carried out her moves with precision necessary to the craft. His assessment of her pleased him. It was something he enjoyed discovering. His first impression of_ young and immature_ dimmed a bit even if she was, in his estimation, still too young and inexperienced to lead the Oniwabanshuu. He had yet to see evidence of Okina's statement about being the Okashira being a burden to her, but he believed the man.

She was young and it was a very complicated job she'd been assigned to do. He was more than willing to take the pressure off those tiny shoulders if she'd let him. He guessed she would fight him though, given her determination in other things. She would be willing to fight him for something she didn't really want if he so much as breathed a hint of her being incapable.

He liked her, he decided, as he shifted suddenly from defense to offense, catching her wrists and sweeping her feet out from beneath her. Her mouth fell open in a gasp as he stole her footing away from her and she began to fall. He dropped down on one knee as he followed her body keeping her from impacting hard with the ground, rather controlling her descent and contact with the soil beneath them. She landed softly, blinking as though to awaken herself, a blush tinting her cheeks.

He still held her wrists, bodies' close. He'd somehow managed to maneuver her onto her knees as well.

"Pay more attention to me," he urged, surprised at the low sound of his own voice. He certainly hadn't intended to sound that way. He direly hoped she wouldn't think he was trying to seduce her or anything.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You're not watching me close enough in battle. You need to keep an eye on your enemy's movement more carefully." He dropped one delicate wrist, once again amazed at her small stature. He hoisted himself up pulling her up also by that captured wrist before releasing her. "Try again- look closer."

Their little training session resumed, but she seemed even more hesitant than before to get close to him. He wondered, as he watched, defending himself if he'd created a gap that she would only widen with her newly discovered discomfort around him. There could be no doubt she was uncomfortable with the change he'd watched her undergo in a matter of minutes.

Their sparring ended a short time later given the ineffectiveness of it all. He had attempted reversing their positions , with him on offense, but his aggressiveness only seemed to further disconcert her. Perhaps it was just too much for one day, he expected she would be back to her normal self once she got away from him for a while. Presumably, he could only guess.

He now walked behind her, kodachi's in one hand, his eyes on that long braid of hair. It was surprisingly long and almost always drew his attention to her. That swinging cord of hair would almost announce her presence to him calling his eye to her form. He watched her run ahead when the Aoiya came into view. She disappeared through the front door of the building but he didn't follow her inside.

* * *

End Chapter Two.

Minor editing: 02/19/05


	3. Part 3

**Being Okashira **

_Chapter Three : Standing in a Shadow_

* * *

She kept her distance a bit, or maybe she was merely distracted. Soujiro and Kamatari kept good hold of her attention. It surprised him she could handle Soujiro, whom she had declared herself in love with so easily.

He could not overlook the fact that there were many years between himself and Soujiro. Women were always more aware of older, more mature males, or that had been his general experience. He, Aoshi, was much more masculine than Kamatari who continued to parade around in a female kimono and Soujiro who was short and continuously smiling. Misao, being female, would undoubtedly notice such. He towered over the younger men. He did, to a degree, expect her to be uncomfortable with him.

He respected her wishes, however, giving her the space she wanted from him. He suspected she was discomfited, not so much with him, but with herself. Misao seemed to undervalue her appeal as a female in respect to a male - that was blatantly obvious in the way she'd spoke about Yumi. Misao was young and innocent.

She'd never left the Aoiya and the men thereof never would've dreamed of touching her, not in anyway to affect her innocence toward males. Nothing remotely sexual. Perhaps though she was not as innocent as he presumed. He'd overheard the women, Omasu and Okon speaking quite graphically in the kitchen the other night but he had not been able to determine if Misao was with them. He had caught her name, but the conversation quickly ended and he'd not been able to find out. He could've sworn he saw a black braid disappearing out the back kitchen door, but he hadn't been able to pursue as Okina had arrived to question him about something.

"Aoshi."

He turned to find her in the doorway. The tall, masked man Hannya was at her side again. She smiled at him brightly as though nothing had ever happened, and actually nothing really had. A mask of confidence hid her nervousness, if she was at all nervous. He couldn't tell exactly. He doubted it.

"Yes, Okashira?"

"I have a mission for you."

He immediately stood, approaching her slowly.

"Come with me."

She led him up a set of stairs to a private room off down the left corridor. Inside, the young man Soujiro was already seated and waiting with Okina. She sat down on the other side of the table; Hannya remained standing by the door.

"Six months before the death of the previous Okashira, my grandfather, there was a mission. It was assumed to be of the typical sort, a small local band of thugs, usually an easy job for the Oniwabanshuu. The information we received back however some how had been incorrect. The men, our best at the time, Beshimi, Hyottoko, and Shikijou were killed during the mission. Since then the thugs of the group left the area and so we backed off a little, but they've returned again to Kyoto. Specifically though their leader, Takeda Kanyruu is in town.

"What I'm asking you to do isn't easy. It's very dangerous and very difficult. Especially since Kanyruu likes to employ modern western style weapons instead of traditional weaponry."

Neither spoke.

"Okina will give you the rest of the information."

She silently nodded to them and rose, leaving the room.

What was that?

Why wasn't she staying?

Aoshi was baffled.

Okina briefed them, without explaining Misao's sudden absence and Aoshi found himself unable to ask. Okina's manner was crisp and authorative.

He and the others simply went.

* * *

Travel was a simple, straight forward affair. His companions, Soujiro and Hannya all seemed to enjoy silence, to his delight. Yet as they prepared a small camp for the evening the young man drew nearer to where Aoshi sat.

Aoshi glanced up at the smiling male that was his competition.

"I am quite happy to be able to meet you."

Aoshi didn't reply.

"Okina has spoken of you very highly for some time now. When he first told me of his plan to wed you to Misao I was very skeptical, with this whole deceptive competition matter. It was very disappointing to me that he would deceive her."

_That _got his attention.

Soujiro's eyes lit up. "Oh... you didn't know either?" He laughed scratching his head. "Me and my big mouth I suppose..."

"What is going on?" Aoshi asked, confused and bordering on irritated.

"I don't know too much about it only that Okina plans on Misao eliminating Kamatari and myself. He never intended either of us to be serious candidates; he's always wanted you for Misao."

The words were baffling, enlightening, disturbing, and exciting all at the same time. It had all been setup from the beginning? Was this Soujiro to actually be believed?

Soujiro just smiled and said something about collecting some firewood for their small dinner fire.

"His words disturb you, Shinomori?"

Aoshi turned to see the masked man, Hannya, approaching. He hadn't been surprised by his appearance having sensed him beforehand.

"Is it true?"

Hannya came closer, leaning his shoulder against an adjacent tree. "About Okina intending you for Misao?"

Aoshi turned his gaze ahead and didn't answer.

"Misao is the treasure of the Aoiya. Great pains are taken for protecting her. Okina has been watching you and others for months searching for someone to _protect _Misao. But Misao is a prideful woman, she would not accept an arranged marriage that she had no say in - so the consort phrase in the Oniwabanshuu code was manipulated to bring you to her."

"How do you know she will not choose Soujiro or Kamatari? She seems quite close to them."

_"Very close._ Kamatari and Soujiro are both from the Aoiya - the environment there has been quite hostile to males that were interested in Misao. Even if Soujiro had returned Misao's affections, it was strictly prohibited."

Aoshi remained quiet. He hadn't suspected all of that, but it now made a great deal more sense to him. His 'competition' was merely there to box in her choice. She would not be able to form intimate attachments, _presumably_, to Soujiro or Kamatari. Yet it nagged, she had said she was in love with Soujiro.

Hannya continued. "I wonder though, that sometimes she realizes she's being misled. She says things... but I cannot be certain. Do not be surprised if she confronts you about it at some point. Misao has realized her young appearance enables her to hide much of her more worldly knowledge under the mask of innocent obliviousness. Expect it."

* * *

Misao stared out the window restlessly. Something was going on, something other than the mission she'd just assigned to Aoshi and Soujiro. Aoshi. The newest member of the Aoiya family, he was utterly disturbing to her state of mind. He was ... something else.

The man's gaze sent ripples through her in a way she'd never experienced before. It was nothing like what she'd thought she felt for Soujiro. Nothing at all and she didn't even love this new man, this Shinomori Aoshi. She was merely _attracted _to him. Somehow it all seemed very illicit and dangerous.

She jumped when the door slid open and Okina bumbled inside.

"Ohayo, Misao."

She frowned and turned away. "Ohayo," she murmured.

"Worried are you?"

"Of course I'm worried. Kanyruu is a dangerous man. How can I not be worried? Besides I have yet to actually see this Shinomori man in action, and watching him train isn't the same. What if he gets killed or something? I'm sure the others will be just fine." Then, upon consideration, added. "Hopefully."

"You have my promise Misao, Shinomori is perfectly suited for this task. He will be fine, along with the others."

She turned back leaning against the wall. "Why do you have so much confidence? He doesn't seem all that great to me."

She was lying through her teeth and praying Okina couldn't tell, but with the way he was grinning at her she imagined she failed.

"Oh... I see that blush on your face. Having naughty thoughts about Shinomori... Wooo... little Misao-chan is growing up!" He almost started to launch into something even more embarrassing when the door slid open again.

Misao blinked. Since when didn't people knock? Soujiro immediately apologized for Kamatari's boldness, but Misao merely waved it off. They were back, who cared about knocking?

"You're back!" she declared ushering them in. "Come in, details, details!"

Kamatari and Soujiro stepped in but she paused not seeing Hannya and Shinomori.

"Where are the others?" Her voice took a sedate turn.

"Ah, I'm sorry to inform you, Okashira that both Hannya and Shinomori have been injured. They are being treated."

Everyone could see her squirming, physically holding herself back from rushing to see how they were. She scolded herself and reminded herself here was where she needed to be. She couldn't play mother hen and Okashira at the same time.

"So... How did it go?"

"Kanyruu is dead but it did not go well," Soujiro replied solemnly. Kamatari, who did not go on the mission, seemed only interested in the report. Misao didn't bother dismissing him.

"Why not?"

"We developed a plan on how to go about it," he trailed off into the schematics of it all and his words became a dull buzz in her ears.

She never could concentrate on tactics. She blinked when she realized everyone was staring at her expectantly.

"Um... Right, so..." she paused gauging their reactions. Was she supposed to be answering something? Were they just staring because she hadn't been paying attention? What?

She tried to think of something to say so she could escape. "If you'll excuse me then..."

She quickly left heading down the hall straight for the sick room. The door was partially open and in the doorway, his back to her, stood Shinomori.

She approached slowly, silently, trying not to draw attention to herself just yet. Despite her caution, however, he turned, as though expecting her, and pinned that cold blue gaze upon her frame.

She repressed a shiver and forced her eyes away, past him into the room.

Hannya.

Where was Hannya?

She moved, but he stepped into her path blocking her. She looked up to glare, ready to snap at him but the intensity of his gaze caused her to falter.

"Perhaps you should wait," he warned.

She let her frown slide back into place and quickly exchanged it for a glare. "Move!"

He hesitated momentarily but complied, stepping aside, his gaze now beyond her. He didn't glance down at her again as she breezed past and into the room.

She stomped inside, anger and worry boiling over.

Where was Hannya?

How was Hannya?

Before she had barely gotten to the threshold of the side doorway inside the room she stopped as something caught her eye. A crimson pool on the floor gave her cold chills.

The room was empty save for her and the red stain.

_Hannya_!

She felt her knees give out from beneath her. Could... Could she go to him? Was this his blood? What... What should she do?

Tears welled in her eyes and spilled over, dripping wordlessly down her cheeks.

Hannya was... What would she do without Hannya?

She didn't hear the soft padding of feet behind her. She didn't realize her solitude had been disturbed until she felt broad hands on her shoulders.

"He's not dead, is he?" she knew she sounded weak and hopeless but she didn't care. "He can't be dead," she said, more to herself than to her companion.

A companion she didn't dare turn to face.

"He isn't."

Shinomori, she realized. Aoshi was the one holding onto her shoulders then. Of course, always the last person one wanted to see always showed up.

She had to get out of here. Standing abruptly, she spun away and swept past him never uttering a word.

He watched her go in silence not letting his gaze wander until the sight of her disappeared around a sharp corner. Hannya, like he, had been injured. Interestingly enough, Hannya had been injured trying to protect him.

The words of his comrades returned to him. Words he hadn't been able to forget since he'd heard them. That Okina had planned him all along for Misao - and that the tender hearted girl who'd just walked out moments ago had no idea what was going on around her.

The girl then, was in reality,_ his intended_.

Should he go after her?

Misao did, after all, have the power to deny him the position of Okashira, didn't she?

It was all very convoluted and he wasn't quite sure just how things were working anymore.

Yet there was the matter of Misao herself. Should he go after her? Should he attempt to console or reassure her? Should he go just to see how she was?

Or should he hang back and simply do as she bid? After several more strained moments of silence, he headed off in the direction he'd seen her take.

* * *

End chapter three

Minor editing: 02/19/05


	4. Part 4

**Being Okashira**

_Chapter Four: The Sounds of the Night_

* * *

She just walked trying to get away from her thoughts. It was impossible to escape her own mind however and she ended up in the back garden staring at the wall of the dojo blankly. Hannya had been hurt. Soujiro was back at the Aoiya. Kamatari had returned and now there was this new man.

This Shinomori Aoshi.

A man whose very presence caused her heart to beat faster. A man whose touch had brought her to the sudden and ferocious peak of male awareness. Never in her life had she been as awe struck as she had back when he'd caught her. The feel of his hands wrapped so completely around her wrists. The male frame that towered over hers even when kneeling. The man was a virtual giant. Never before had she felt so small and breakable. Held by her wrists down on her knees on the grass - it was utterly beyond words.

He hadn't, she guessed, intended for it to be anything but innocent but oh were her thoughts wandering. She'd been desperately trying to think of other things lately, afraid she would blush in his presence.

The mission was a good distraction and now Hannya...

Her Hannya...

Injured.

She couldn't even bear the knowledge of how badly. That blood on the floor. She felt tears threatening to fill her eyes and bit her lip. She didn't want to cry.

"Okashira?"

She hated it. That awful title. She especially hated it when he said it. There was something about the inflexive tone he used. He made her feel like she didn't deserve it and rightly she didn't feel she did. But she certainly didn't like him pointing it out to her although he hadn't really said anything like that.

"What?" Her voice was weak. The sound disgusted her. She wasn't weak. She could handle this. She could. She tried to tell herself to straighten her shoulders and face him, but she couldn't. Not right now.

Now she just wanted him gone.

"Oi! Misao! Er... Okashira!"

She turned her glittering eyes toward the doorway where Kamatari was waving. "Hannya is awake!"

Awake? Okay? She flew toward the door forgetting about Aoshi in her mad rush to see Hannya.

* * *

The Aoiya returned to what he knew to be 'normal pace' within the next week. Kamatari was most often seen in the kitchen with Omasu and Okon or doting over Misao. Soujiro was absent entirely, however, having forfeited his candidacy - with Misao's permission - and having left for a nearby port city.

No one had said anything about his abrupt departure, but Misao had told him it was because Yumi would likely be there. There hadn't been any bitterness in her voice at the admission.

There was another thing about Misao he'd noticed recently. She'd suddenly, and unexplainably, reverted back to calling him Shinomori. He wasn't sure whether he should be uncomfortable with that or not. Was it a bad sign or a good one?

He settled on the former.

She had also stopped humming around him. Now she took nervous glances to see if he was following her and when he was, she frequently glanced at him. It almost always caught his eye given his gaze strayed very little from her.

With Hannya in bed he'd taken to guarding her, not that he'd have been anywhere else. But he and Misao were not confidants the way she was with Hannya.

Even now he followed her. Those around them watched with thinly veiled amusement as he carted along behind her. No one dared to say anything though although he'd learned that in the evening, when he was in his room that Omasu, Okon and Kamatari teased her endlessly about him.

He'd managed just last night to be passing by when Misao threw herself out of one room and directly into him.

He'd been more surprised than anything else suddenly having a girl thrust into his arms. The blush that tinted her cheeks was cute, even more so was the way she tensed at the howling laughter as the three people in the kitchen watched.

He'd set her carefully on her feet and the moment his hands left her she fled up the stairs and never looked back. He pinned a glare on the people in the kitchen and they promptly shut up. Having done so, he inaudibly sighed and tried to remember where he was going before Misao blanked his mind.

He hoped the blush was telling. A sign of her attraction to him - but he could not rule that conclusively. She might merely have been embarrassed.

* * *

He stepped into her office directly after her. She kept on, expecting him to follow and expecting him to close the door. He didn't disappoint.

He stood by the doorway as she sat at a table and began some frivolous search. She gave up after a few minutes and instead sat quietly.

The calm atmosphere lasted only a short time as she began fidgeting.

This was not a job for one such as her. Misao was young and carefree. She did not deserve to be bound indoors like this.

He watched her shift and settle and then shift again before he stepped away from the doorway. His movement drew her eye and she immediately stopped everything to watch him as though wary.

He approached slowly only one or two steps from the doorway.

"Are you bored?"

She was so obviously bored. It was the perfect opportunity.

"Perhaps... if you will allow me, Okashira. I can teach you something."

She seemed eager and anxious all at once and looked a bit distrustful. In the end, curiosity won out and she nodded.

He kneeled down on the other side of the small table and reached for a discarded sheet of paper. He worked in silence, folding and unfolding the delicately pressed rice paper.

Silence hung over them with only the jagged sound of paper scraping against paper disturbing the quiet. He dropped a perfectly formed origami swan in his palm as the finished result and watched her eyes widen in delight.

It was almost a child like wonder. Perfect innocence and happiness. She really was quite cute. One would never guess this young girl was the leader of a secret ninja clan.

He'd never guess just from the look of her that she was a ninja at all.

"Wow! You're really good at this!" she exclaimed in happiness. "I wish I could do stuff like that... but Jiya would have a fit."

She pouted and he found the motion drew his attention quite sharply. How old was Misao? He wondered, hadn't he wondered before?

"Misao!"

Just then the door slid open, snapping back into its recessed place in the wall and Jiya filled out the doorway.

She frowned. "What?" she whined, crossing her arms in a huff.

Jiya turned a critical eye on her and she immediately dropped the frown - and then, to both of their surprise, she blushed.

"We just got a message in from Saitou that the Oni One members being held in their prison have escaped. You must not leave the Aoiya, for your own protection."

Aoshi smiled slightly at the tiny female who looked to be puzzled.

"The Oni One group was a cast off faction of a former ninja group that disbanded two years ago. They were being paid by an unknown third party to root out other ninja clans and kill off their leaders. It was discovered some time ago that the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu was also on their list of targets."

Misao's puzzlement vanished. The sudden and startling idea that someone wanted to kill her seemed to sober her right up. He was regretful to see it, however, as the light happiness in her smile faded away to nothing.

"I see," she replied, voice dropping.

It never ceased to amaze him how she did that. Turned from bubbly, beautiful girl into small, dismal leader in a moment. All the more evidence that she needed him to take over this troublesome job for her - to allow her freedom.

Of course he was not without his own ambition - but it was plainly obvious Misao deserved more than to be saddled with this job.

"Fine," she unhappily agreed.

"I trust you will see to her safety, Aoshi."

Aoshi turned and nodded. Of course he would.

The small figure staring down at the desk so thoughtfully was his future. In more ways than one.

Words couldn't describe it. The feeling fluttering so wildly through him as he stared down at her. His Okashira. The young woman he'd been so stunned to meet, the woman who gave him his orders and to whom his life was dedicated to protecting.

She was the commanding, but hesitant Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu and apparently, was afraid of her own femininity. What would she know of being a woman and handling a man's advances? She had apparently been born and raised in the Oniwabanshuu - a predominately male organization.

He could understand to a point, the poor girl had been forced into her 'Okashira' position even if she did handle it moderately well and was loved. It seemed the young woman who held her head so proudly before her group, was terribly frightened of him.

A future his former commander had often hinted his, Aoshi's, future might involve the 'young beautiful unmarried female Okashira' of their group.

* * *

Even if it were not an official order, he knew it was what she wanted. They both knew both him and Hannya. That the Okashira, Makimachi Misao did not want to be alone with him; unfortunately things weren't going her way much lately. She went out of her way to avoid him period, let alone be in direct contact with him, which he made difficult since he often followed her around.

So - how had he managed ending up in her private bed chambers in the middle of the night?

He immediately bowed. "Okashira."

"Aoshi... what are you doing in my room?"

She looked startled, trapped, and frightened. Her dainty little hands clutched at her thin sleeping gown as though she feared the ties on it might unloose themselves and bare her young body before him. He almost grinned. He knew he bothered her, but never quite this much, it was... enlightening.

It also gave him a heady sense of power. He understood why she felt those tiny little strings on her gown weren't very comforting; with the snap of his wrist- he deferred the thought.

"My apologies Okashira, I thought I heard you crying."

It wasn't a total lie, he had thought he heard her crying, only to realize it was the next room over and what he'd heard hadn't been a 'cry' in the traditional teary sense. Of course, it was too late now, he was in her room and worse than that. He'd been caught.

This young woman... he mused staring up into her crystalline blue eyes, she probably had no idea how powerful she made him feel. Here he was, her servant for lack of a better word, and yet he felt like was the one with the power over her rather than the other way around. Just staring at her white fisted hands as she clutched at her gown nervously made him want to rise to his feet and tower over her tiny frame. She was so tiny. So short.

That was another aspect of him that seemed to unnerve her, his height. Without realizing it until he'd seen her slink back slightly, he done just that. He'd risen to his feet, staring down at her.

"You fear me, Okashira?" His voice was low and sounding entirely too seductive.

She cared for them, took them all under her wings like she was a motherly figure, but it was just too much for her.

He'd caught glimpses of a beautiful creature beneath her warm, smiling masks. Every once in a while as he followed her around he'd catch her staring wistfully out a window or something similar. She wished and dreamed.

"Misao..." he daringly stepped forward, whispering her given name and was not disappointed when he watched her bottom lip quiver before it was ruthlessly pinned down by her teeth. He stepped forward again reaching, touching his fingertips to her covered elbow.

He, without thinking, pulled her against him. His arms wrapped around her tiny frame.

He realized in a sudden rush as he pressed her to him she smelled beautifully. Although it hadn't been something he was unaware of before, it was altogether different when you were alone her.

He'd wanted so badly at first to be noticed by the smiling leader, even if she was a female younger in years than himself, only to realize in the coming weeks he'd been more than noticed by the Okashira and that was precisely why she was avoiding him. Or attempting to.

It didn't matter though, as he slipped to the floor gently, cradling her closer, bringing her head closer to his. He inhaled sharply the fragrance of her hair and gentle scent of her skin. She was a marvel, this young woman. She entranced him, she was also his Okashira. No matter how much he happened to be drawn to her, she was his superior; he had no right to be touching her this way. He had no right to be invading her personal space or issues, holding her, or anything else.

Yet he wasn't leaving. He wasn't taking his hands off her, and he should, but she felt so nice. The soft cloth, her warmth seeping into his body, her breath against his neck. Why should he let her go when his body told him to grasp her tighter?

She was calm against him but hadn't moved at all. She lay limply in his arms, head lying against him, face turned away. He couldn't see her face this way.

* * *

end Chapter four. 


	5. Part 5

**Being Okashira**

_Chapter Five: Guidelines for Leadership _

_

* * *

_

He pressed his fingers to her forehead. She was so small and soft. This little thing was the head of the Oniwabanshuu?

It seemed like such an unlikely thing.

He could not imagine this girl training through rainstorms and dodging kunai. Why was it so hard?

He tensed as there came a loud rattle from the hall and urgent footsteps. Voices followed, rising up in panic.

Aoshi hurriedly released Misao and walked to the door about to slide it open when Hannya appeared.

The older, masked man immediately paused, staring at Aoshi. No doubt wondering what he was doing in her room at this time of night.

It didn't help his cause Misao was in her sleeping clothes on the floor either.

The several moment span of silence was broken by Misao.

"What's going on?"

"You need to hurry. You, take her, get out of the Aoiya," Hannya ordered.

"What?" Misao gasped, standing.

Aoshi didn't hesitate, he all but dove for her. Grasping the now struggling girl he pulled her into his arms and fled out the nearby window. His feet landed them steadily in a tree, but her struggling was going to knock them both flat to the ground and into the arms of the unexpected enemy if she didn't start cooperating.

"You're too important to go back," he chided. "You can't stay."

He didn't say what he wanted, which was to tell her she was being immature, afraid the girl would look crushed. Nor, however, was he going to stand by and allow her to do what she wanted.

Her struggles ceased and he allowed his hold to loosen. Dropping them to the ground, he quickly disappeared into the tree line, heading for the covert area where the Okashira was to be protected at times like these.

* * *

Misao woke as she was jarred from her sleep. Immediately she became aware of several things, none of which pleased her.

The first of which, she was in Aoshi's lap.

The second of which, they were alone and it was dark.

Lastly, it was raining. She could smell it in the air, her clothes were damp and she could hear it quite clearly.

She pulled herself up, trying not to blush and feeling as though she'd failed. She couldn't see Aoshi but she knew, she knew, it was him.

Calmly, and in a manner that annoyed her, he pushed her back against him, cuddling her back against his chest as though that was where she belonged and objections wouldn't be tolerated.

She growled.

"Aoshi!"

"I won't let you go back before daylight."

"I have to-" she protested.

"I will not violate the code. Your safety is more important," he replied. "Relax; daylight is not far, go back to sleep."

Misao settled again in his lap, for the moment secure in the knowledge she wasn't going anywhere. She couldn't really see. She didn't have the first clue where she was or how they'd gotten there.

In fact, it was strange she'd fallen asleep during the trip. She could remember so vividly being held in his arms while he moved through the forest, presumably on his way here to this location.

She stared up, trying to imagine the expression on his face. Most of the time he was just plain expressionless. How could a person live like that? Without smiling or frowning?

"Are you an orphan?"

Maybe it was an insensitive question. Maybe she shouldn't have asked.

It was too late for second thoughts, the question was loose.

"Yes," he quietly replied. "Why?"

"You seem like what I imagine an orphan with no family would be like. A kid taken in by a ninja group spends his childhood learning deadly arts and the realities of war and killing people. Jiya never let me do any of those things, I was only allowed in easy missions. "

"You are too important to be stained by such things."

She frowned.

"You're important to the Oniwabanshuu, aren't you?" she asked.

"I suppose so," he seemed reluctant to agree.

"That's why he wants you to be the next Okashira, then, isn't it?"

Silence was her reply.

"I'm not stupid, you know. Soujiro might be the Oniwabanshuu's best assassin, but he's always been a follower, not a leader. Kamatari isn't leader material either, he's showy and flamboyant, we'd be bankrupt within a month."

Was he looking at her? Trying to look at her, at least?

The thought caused her to blush.

So she'd just admitted what she suspected all along, and now what? Silence?

He wasn't even going to answer her?

He wasn't even going to bother himself with formulating some kind of response? She'd just all but admitted she _knew _it was a scheme by Jiya to pilfer her off with a husband and put the Oniwabanshuu group into the hands of a more competent leader, him, and all she was getting was the sound of raindrops in the background!

Finally, he deemed it appropriate to speak up. "Do you disapprove?"

She blinked.

Disapprove?

No one ever asked her opinion, she thought. No one like him. Not in the way he just did. In a fashion so utterly serious, as though her opinion actually mattered. She'd spent her entire life feeling as though getting her opinion had just been a mere courtesy.

Did she disapprove of him?

She hung her head.

How was she supposed to know what she approved of? She didn't hate the guy, that was a plus, right?

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Would you accept me? As your husband? Would you turn over the Oniwabanshuu to my care?"

She thought. "No," she answered simply and honestly. "I couldn't do that."

It wasn't an answer that would please him, but she wasn't looking to make him happy. It was what was honest.

She wouldn't turn the Oniwabanshuu over to him. She didn't know him. Didn't trust him enough to take care of her or the Oniwan group.

They were her family. If he wanted the job, he was going to have to do more than just 'be'.

"Then you deem me to be unsuitable?" he continued. By the tone of his voice, her rejection had meant little. It should have been a salve, to keep her from worrying about hurting his feelings.

It wasn't.

"The people at the Aoiya are my family. I can't just let anybody step in and take over the job of caring for them. Even if we aren't technically supposed to exist anymore, the Oniwabanshuu is still a powerful group. Your recommendations just aren't good enough to prove you trust worthy for taking over my family."

He leaned down so that she could feel his breath against her skin. "That's what you want? For me to prove my trustworthiness?"

"Life probably wasn't easy before, I guess that's why you walk around looking so gloomy. Lighten up a little; the Oniwabanshuu can be your family too, just like they are mine."

The arms wrapped around her tightened as a breeze swept in the small opening where she guessed the door was.

His reply was again, _no reply _and she gave up waiting for one. Sometime between the end of the rain and dawn, she fell victim to sleep again in the warmth of his embrace.

* * *

Aoshi stretched before reaching for his kodachi. When he turned, however, he was met, face to face, by Hannya.

"How are things?"

"Things?" Aoshi inquired.

"With Misao," Hannya clarified. "Last night the event was minor, just some thieves, but we do not take chances on her safety."

Aoshi nodded. Very reasonable. She was the future of their group. She would 'breed' the next leader, and if things went his way, he would help her with that.

"Things are fine."

"Has she said something? I spoke to her this morning, but she was unusually quiet."

"Not really," Aoshi replied evasively.

"I'm not feeling of good health; I trust you will see to her care."

Aoshi nodded, tightening his grip upon his weapon as he left the dojo.

After he'd brought them back to the Aoiya early in the morning and tucked her back into her bed, he hadn't been able to sleep.

Maybe it was her words, maybe it was his memory of her in his arms, maybe it was just her, period.

* * *

The Aoiya was the center headquarters of the Oniwabanshuu ninja group, but the fast-paced, energetic atmosphere he might have expected from the bustling place was simply not to be.

Headquarters though it might have been, he'd encountered more action at remote outposts along the skirts of Tokyo. Perhaps that was to be expected though.

Day to day activities at the Aoiya dealt primarily with storage shortages in the kitchen, minor squabbles among members about dojo use, shouting matches over misplaced reports, or, and he dreaded the last, lack of workers in the Aoiya kitchen during the busy hours.

He'd learned just how much he hated that chore last week and he was determined to avoid the duty again.

He stopped along the path glancing around.

Despite all this, he liked this place. It was warm and welcoming. This place, he thought, was Misao's home. Where Misao guarded her family, the family she would, as of yet, not turn over to him.

That little notion made him smile. She'd simplified what he needed to do, and since yesterday he'd had an entirely new perception of the Aoiya.

This wasn't just the headquarters of a secret ninja organization. This was an extension of a family that Misao was descended from, a place that, beyond its code, meant something. Something more to the heart of the young woman whose inheritance it was to see it continued and successful.

The nagging downside of this reality was what he expected was her soft heart. An unwillingness to see or allow anyone to die, which could provide for a deficiency of effectiveness and cripple the organization completely.

Nor could that be completely true though, she had sent him and several others out just days ago on an extremely dangerous mission where no backup was immediately available and avoidance of death could not be guaranteed.

He held up his kodachi, staring at the sheathed blades. 'Home'. He hadn't thought of a 'home' for a long time. Not since he'd received this weapon in his hands.

Either way, this place was his temporary 'home'.

Upon hearing a distance rumble he turned his gaze up. More rain. It had stopped raining some hours earlier, but it had been overcast all day. A wind rustled through the trees, an eerie precursor of the upcoming storm.

To one side near the main building, he heard the slide of the external door and then the snap as it was pulled shut. A moment later a figure came around the bend, and paused.

Misao could not be mistaken for anyone else, he thought, watching as she too stopped.

He bowed. "Okashira."

Misao stood there silently, boldly meeting his eyes.

"I'm glad you're here."

She smiled, temporarily disarming him.

"Okasssshhhiiirrraaa!" A shrill call came before the door was hauled open and around the corner came another figure.

One that caused him to internally grimace.

"Hey, good that you're here too. I have a job for you," she pointed at Kamatari and then Aoshi. "You and you."

Aoshi blinked. She wasn't serious. She wouldn't really send him out with that weird cross-dressing man would she?

"Oh goody! He's a cute one," Kamatari squealed.

Misao pulled a stern face and Kamatari straightened.

"Your job is simple; you are to pick up Chisato and Takeo. They are 8-year old twins we adopted here at the Aoiya several years ago. They are currently training in the next town over with an archery specialist, but their time is up, so they need to come back home."

Aoshi almost felt his jaw drop.

She wasn't serious!

He wasn't really being reduced to the job of baby-sitter, was he?

Her gaze and tone were even. Those really were his orders. He fought the scowl valiantly, but only succeeded in holding it off until she was out of eyesight.

"Oh, don't look so grumpy. You want to win her, don't you? Chisato and Takeo are two of Misao's most precious treasures."

Aoshi blinked turning a glance to Kamatari.

He stared for a moment before turning on his heel and stalking off. The sooner he left, the sooner he was back - whether or not the cross-dresser came along was insignificant.

* * *

End Chapter Five.


	6. Part 6

**Being Okashira**

_Chapter Six: Comrades, Buddies, Pals ... or Not _

_

* * *

_

Misao watched Aoshi as he left the Aoiya not ten minutes later, a bag over one shoulder. He didn't look happy, but he didn't look unhappy either. The man was too expressionless for his own good or hers for that matter.

Not more than a few seconds had past before she heard a loud crash below and then spotted Kamatari running after Aoshi.

Chisato and Takeo were the youngest students at the Aoiya at the moment, adopted after their ninja parents had been killed on a dangerous mission. The last leader had decided it was not proper to abandon Oniwabanshuu members, even unofficial ones, and took in the children.

It was mere convenience that Aoshi had shown up when he had and the twins had been away. Sending him off to get them was a mere pretense. She wanted him away from her and simultaneously she wanted him to 'bond' with the family.

Despite everything being 'her choice', she knew, deep down, it really wasn't. It was all more like an eventuality. Still, she was in a position to make the upcoming transition from leader to wife easier on herself and him.

She wasn't prideful enough to think she could handle the organization better than Aoshi. She'd read the reports of his triumphs. She knew how he'd been leading ninja bands at age fifteen. She knew of his victories and heartlessness in battle, his ability to kill, and his ability to have mercy. Aoshi was a leader, and she felt overshadowed and inferior in the face of such a man.

For the moment, though, she was still very much in charge. Aoshi might be the perfect leader candidate, but he also had a lack of emotion that worried her. What lurked behind those icy eyes caused her fear and left her feeling powerless to either decipher or control it.

She'd spent most of her morning doing research on him, trying to find out who he was, where he was from, and dredging up as much background material as earthly possible. It hadn't gone unnoticed, unfortunately.

Jiya had immediately taken note of her unusual concentration on her work and plucked several papers from her hands while she was reading them. Jeers and taunts would then plague her until she kicked him out, but every time he showed up again another lecherous comment surfaced.

If that wasn't bad enough he'd told Omasu and Okon and now they too had gotten in on 'the game'. She groaned.

She had learned some interesting things. Shinomori Aoshi was twenty-six, ten full years her senior, something that had, at first, caused her to blink in amazement. He didn't seem that old. Still, when she thought about it, twenty-six wasn't Jiya's age, so he was pretty young after all.

His parents had been killed in the war when he was young. He'd been adopted by a local branch of the Oniwabanshuu near his home village. Details were scarce about his upbringing and training in the group.

Details hadn't been readily available until he became a section leader at the age of fifteen, since then he'd only seemed to improve and become near legendary among the Oniwabanshuu foot men.

She turned away from the window. Retrieving Chisato and Takeo was... a trust mission. Kamatari was trusted, Aoshi was not. She would see, via the twins, how he would care for potential children. That had to be important.

The Oniwabanshuu were all practically her "children" in a weird, not really sort of way. She shook her head, trying to knock loose all these strange thoughts.

"Misao-chan!" The door swept open and in stepped Okina. "You have work to do, unless you're thinking dirty things about Aoshi again."

She blushed. "I was never thinking dirty things, I'm not you."

"Oh-ho-ho! You're blushing!" he chirped.

* * *

Aoshi walked ahead, but Kamatari kept up at his side. He had long since ditched his happy expression and was behaving quite normally and to Aoshi's relief, quietly.

"So... You're the guy," Kamatari spoke after a lengthy silence. "I've heard a lot about you."

Aoshi ignored him.

"You're not what I expected though. Too tall and too broad and too quiet for Misao. Misao's such a sweet girl... Sourjiro, now he's a guy perfectly suited for Misao-chan. So loving and gentle, it's really too bad he's such a block head, although I can't fault him. Misao-chan is like a sister to me too, so I understand his not being able to fall for her."

There started the expedition to the next town over. Aoshi silently wondered if Kamatari was trying to be purposely annoying or if he was really like this. Kamatari prattled on for several more feet before he drifted off in silence.

Aoshi glanced at him once and determined to forget he had to travel with the strange cross-dressing man.

Who was this man, this man dressed as a woman no less, to tell him that he was unsuitable for Misao? Misao was Misao; the girl destined to bear the next Okashira, who was more compatible with her wasn't really the issue.

Who was suited to be the Okashira in her place was what mattered and neither Kamatari nor Soujiro was suitable for that job, he, Shinomori Aoshi, was.

Despite telling himself not to, he felt somewhat offended at the younger man's remarks, but let them slide. If he ever encountered the man in the dojo he'd repay him then, with a bruise or two.

Until then, he'd let it go.

* * *

He was thankful the next town was only a day's walk. They would get there near evening, spend the night, grab the tots the next morning and head back.

They traveled on through the day, Kamatari occasionally speaking, but usually giving up waiting on a response. Some hours after noon Aoshi finally conceded to stop for food and rest before they set off once more. It was barely sundown when they reached the small village where the kids were meeting with their archery instructor.

Aoshi kept to the skirts of town, settling beneath a tree for the night while Kamatari went ahead saying something about a party or gambling. Aoshi couldn't be entirely sure, as all that guys words seem to blur together.

He was dozing lightly listening to the gentle sounds of the night when he heard footsteps on the gravel path. His eyes shot open in the darkness, listening to the stranger's feet.

"Hey!"

He frowned.

Kamatari. Back again, already?

"Still out here, huh? I went all over town looking for you. Here," he tossed something that landed heavily in Aoshi's lap. He picked it up, examining the parcel.

"It's food," Kamatari explained. "I thought you should eat something. Despite being completely wrong for her, Misao does seem to like you. Can't have an unhappy Okashira."

"Do you think yourself a better match for Misao than I?" Aoshi asked, finally fed up with Kamatari's baiting.

"Me? Well, despite my perfection, no. I can't be the Okashira, everyone knows it. I couldn't be good enough for Misao either. Misao is just too important to everyone... ever since she was little running around tugging on people's kimono's asking for someone to teach her how to throw kunai."

He sounded so wistful, Aoshi thought, remembering the past. Of course, Misao would always be a child to those who had known her from childhood. Those who had been raised to be her 'brothers' and 'sisters' in the Oniwabanshuu. He had been saved that difficulty.

"Has she always used kunai?"

Information on Misao was surprisingly difficult to get a hold of. No one outside the Aoiya seemed to know anything about her. Reports were often conflicting and contradictory.

"Yeah," Kamatari replied. "Since the Aoiya is a restaurant it's been attacked a couple times by thieves. Once Misao was down in the kitchen when they broke in, she had been looking for a glass of water, although why she was all the way up in the restaurant, no one knew. She was probably half asleep.

"She was alone in the kitchen when she heard them. She watched from the doorway as they tore through the place, but one spotted her and tossed a set of kunai after her.

"She was terrified for a couple of days, but it wore off surprisingly quickly. The next thing everybody knew she was in Hannya's lap begging him to teach her how to 'throw the shiny knives just like the bad guys'."

He sounded so pleased with his recollection. It must be nice to have fond memories, Aoshi thought as silence fell over them and neither spoke again.

* * *

Aoshi watched the tots as they scampered ahead of him by Kamatari's side. They were not cheerful children, but quiet and somber like. Kamatari was the most animated of the group, talking and laughing with, and occasionally at, the kids.

He seemed to keep them amused, but there was a definite lack of happiness surrounding them. Perhaps he would ask Misao about it later.

Given they were relatively small; he expected they would have to make a couple stops along the way to rest.

They were small; both dressed in dusty colored knee length yukata's. Their hair was dark, but lighter than Misao's inky tresses. They passed along, walking the several hour trip.

It was boring, more so than he recalled other trips being. Perhaps because he could not clear his mind enough to wander. The children ahead of him held his attention. His eyes kept flickering back to them before scanning the fields surrounding them.

It was Misao, however, that lurked in the dark corners of his mind. Those bright luminous eyes, steadily gazing at him. Telling him in no uncertain terms he would not have the position he desired until he had her trust, and these children were important to her.

If she was like other females, she probably had a weak spot for children and he could use them to gain her favor. He didn't really consider himself an expert with children though, and worried slightly about his ability to win them over.

He could always try training with them and see how that went.

When the road up to the Aoiya finally came into sight he almost sighed. He stopped at the path.

"I'm going into town. I'll return later."

Kamatari turned to watch, as did the tots, but Aoshi didn't pause. He kept on, following the lonely path toward town.

As expected the place was bustling, people in every direction. Shops of all sorts were selling their wares. It reminded him of his old childhood days. Days he didn't like to remember, which was why he liked to avoid towns as much as humanly possible.

He was passing by an alleyway between two of the buildings along the edge of town when he thought he heard raised voices. Arguments and fights were not the type of thing to grab his attention, so he crept closer, wondering why this one had.

"Stupid, disgusting, pervert! How dare you touch me?"

Misao?

The shrill female voice raised in outrage and disgust immediately caused him to straighten.

He stepped into the alleyway, dodging a kunai as it whirled by his head.

Why was this not surprising? Was this girl a magnet for trouble?

"Oh you- eh?" She started and immediately paused as he neared.

The small figure paused, her body loosening from the fighting stance she'd tensed into.

"Aoshi?"

She blinked.

"What are you doing here?"

The man behind Misao rose. Aoshi leaned forward, tilting across, snagging the girl around the waist with one arm while extending the other in a punch. The man's head snapped back, his body impacting hard with the wall of the building before he crumpled to the ground.

Misao fell against him a moment, sighing deeply. "Oh, what a rotten day."

He released her and she moved a pace or two back from him.

"Your clothes are torn. You shouldn't be so reckless, where is your escort?"

She huffed, crossing her arms. "You mean, my babysitter? I ditched him a while back."

He stepped forward, raising his arms and caging her against the wall.

"I know, don't start the lecture, okay!" she pouted. "It was irresponsible and reckless, don't bother. I've heard it a thousand times."

She kept her gaze averted.

"You shouldn't be walking alone," he chided.

"I swear! If one more person tries to tell me what I _can _and _cannot _do -"

"Stop being childish, it's dangerous for you to walk alone. What would you have done if I was your enemy in this alley? Do you honestly believe you could have escaped me? Who could come to your rescue?"

She breezily ignored him, waving off his warnings slipping beneath his arm and moving to walk away. "Save the lecture for someone else."

He reached out, snagging her sleeve, twirling her back around to face him and pushing her with the palms of his hands straight back against the wall. He leaned down to her, his nose level with hers.

"Escape me then, show me that my concern was unwarranted," he growled, his breath against her face.

She shifted, hand sliding beneath her obi behind her back while she stared into his eyes uneasily. She moved deftly and swiftly arm coming up and impacting hard against the wall as his hand closed around her wrist intercepting the swing. The kunai in her hands clattered to the ground as her hand hit the wall, the force of the impact stunning her grip into loosening and probably bruising her knuckles.

She tried to focus on her stinging hand instead of his intense gaze, but could not as the pain lessened all too soon.

"If that's all you've got -"

"Most guys don't have your level of talent," she snapped.

"Perhaps not, but they're still physically stronger than _you_ are," he replied.

"What business is it of yours?" she shot back.

He moved back from her, reaching to grab her wrist.

"I will escort you back to the Aoiya."

"What if I don't want to go back to the Aoiya?"

He ignored her, pulling her along despite her protests. She struggled trying to wrench her wrist free but his hand wrapped completely around her slim wrist making her fighting futile.

They passed by curious towns folk who averted their eyes if met directly as he continued leading her. It wasn't until they had reached the gravel path out of town before she thought of something to use to free herself.

"I am the Okashira, you know! You can't just drag me around!"

He stopped at once, back stiff. She, a pace behind him, couldn't see his expression to judge whether or not she'd angered him.

For a moment she expected another lecture like the others would give her on how she was behaving childishly yet again. When he turned, however, his intense blue eyes held no expression.

"Which is why it's important for you to take care of yourself. The Oniwabanshuu Okashira is an important position. The measures put in place to protect you are not there to make you feel important; they are there because you _are _important. It is not something you should handle carelessly; many people are depending on you."

She frowned. "You think I don't know that? I've had this miserable position for months. There's always people in and out. Papers, finances, customers, inventory, reports, property maintenance, injuries, children - I have to oversee everyone. Someone is always looking for me. I consider myself lucky to get any sleep at this particular point."

Their eyes met and held, but Misao looked away in discomfort.

This man. This Shinomori Aoshi, he was much more qualified for this job than her. If she gave it up to him though, she would have to marry him. Could she?

Without a word further, he began walking again, hand still clamped around her wrist as though he expected her to run off on him any moment.

Half way there his grip loosened and dropped, circling his hand around her slim fingers.

He brushed them lightly over the back of her hand, as though to apologize for his rough treatment of her, before he let go completely. They took their final approach to the Aoiya with several feet of space between them.

* * *

End chapter 6


	7. Part 7

**Being Okashira**

_Part Seven: The Past Stirs_

**

* * *

**

Misao stood in the empty Aoiya kitchen reaching for the plate and dropping the slab of meat onto the wood block. She reached for her cleaver and began slicing it into thin strips. In a few moments, the kitchen would be buzzing with activities. She was just early this morning and itching to do something to keep her busy.

If she hung out in the kitchen, she couldn't be swamped in her office.

This was Misao's good plan number one.

It was also on it's road to failure when in walked Kamatari, a paper in his hands. He leaned on the opposite side of the counter and began regailing her with tales of injuries that had taken place in the last battle with some friends of his and then inquiries about what she intended to do about it.

She half-listened before tossing him out of the kitchen and returning to her work.

There was just no way to 'get away' from these people. She'd just barely been able to dodge Hannya this morning and who knew where Aoshi had gone to, but she didn't really want to know.

If she had to guess though, she'd put her money on a training session somewhere, he was the too-serious type of guy.

Just as she thought Shiro and Kuro were about to sweep in the doorway, in came Okina, a smile spread over his lips.

"Good morning, Misao-chan. How are things?"

He sidled up next to her, tossing an arm over her shoulder.

"Fine," she replied.

She felt moody.

Yes, that was definitely the word. She wanted desperately to get out of the Aoiya for the day. Grab a travel bag and go, but she wasn't going to risk being _immature _again.

At least, not while Aoshi was around, his scoldings were just too... intense.

"Oooh, ho ho! Daydreaming again, little Misao?"

"I want you to invite Takani Megumi to stay with us."

Okina paused, his arm dropping from her shoulder.

"What? What for? The last time she came here you threatened to 'cut out her treacherous tongue', if I recall correctly."

"I have a job for her. Tell Takani-san if she wants to keep her practice open she will be here next week. Got it?"

Okina turned a serious, calculating stare toward her. She looked up and gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, I won't do anything violent. I promise, I'll be completely sweet the whole time."

"What is this business you have with Takani?"

Misao paused. "Hmmm... It's personal, so I can't tell you. Just arrange it, okay?"

He hesitated, but he would do it. She knew he would. He turned, leaving her alone in the kitchen once more.

She was really beginning to feel rather trapped. The guy was like a ... a walking cage. She couldn't get away from him. She couldn't exclude him, she didn't _really _want to.

In fact, she felt willing to hand over the job right now just because she was so tired. Of course, she couldn't do that.

It would be a betrayal of her duties, her trust, her love, for the Oniwabanshuu and her family. That didn't make her feel any less fatigued. It didn't really help that he made her feel insufficient.

Everytime he looked at her, she felt small.

That was going to change though. Starting next week.

She'd done research on this Shinomori Aoshi. She knew things about him. As of yet, she hadn't really thought of anything in that dusty old file of his that could help her, at least, not until last night.

Last night she'd come upon a name extremely familiar to her.

Takani Megumi - lady doctor extraordinare, and Misao's number one annoyance. She didn't really, _really _didn't like her. She had to go through such extraorinary lengths when Takani was around to act the part of 'heartless leader'.

That's why outside guests, who were not paying cusomers, were not frequent at the Aoiya - other than the fact it was an inconvience for everyone.

Misao had to be protected - and she had to be careful. More especially in the Aoiya than outside. She was young, and though she had the loyalty of her ninjas, being respected by outsiders was extremely difficult.

From the very beginning, she'd been instructed to put forth her most ruthless demeanor when facing or handling those outside the organization and Takani-san fell in that category.

Takani Megumi was, apparently, an ex-lover of Aoshi's. This was going to be hard on her. Attracted to Aoshi as she might be, she had to face other women's attractions to her would-be husband and know how she would handle it.

She hung her head, the knife ceasing it's motion.

This would be very hard, and she wasn't even in love with the man.

* * *

Aoshi stared at the female watching, eyes steady, as _she _neared the Aoiya. What the hell was she doing here?

He tried to move his tense frame, but couldn't. He was frozen by the doorway, just watching as she neared, closer and closer. She didn't hesitate walking straight through the front door of the Aoiya's main house before pausing to slip off her shoes.

She paused when she looked up and saw him.

"A-Aoshi!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

He stared stonily at her. "Why are you here?" He asked, ignoring the fact she'd spoken at all.

She turned her head as she slipped on a pair of guest slippers. "I had no choice. That little weasel is making life miserable again."

"What 'weasel'?"

"Ah, there you are Takani-san, it's so good of you to come see me."

The loathing on Megumi's face was all too apparent before she washed it away beneath a smile. "Thank you for inviting me, Makimachi-sama. It was very... _generous _of you."

"Only the best for you, Takani-san. Please come in."

He watched Megumi follow after Misao, the dislike between them almost palatable. Why had Misao invited Megumi? How did the two know each other? What was the basis for their obvious mutual dislike?

He was tempted to follow after, but couldn't.

To his fortune, Hannya stepped out heading toward the door.

"Hannya," Aoshi called.

"Hmm? Yes?" The demon masked man paused near the door, looking around as though he'd lost something.

"Do you know why Takani Megumi is here?"

Hannya seemed to tense as he faced Aoshi. "All I know of it is that it was the Okashira's direct order to bring her."

"Her direct order?" Aoshi repeated.

Hannya nodded and continued to look around. "Is that all you wished to ask of me?"

"Aa," Aoshi replied turning to glance back down the empty hall once more. Why was she here?

"Shinomori-san..." He turned toward the little voice, half-surprised to see two little faces staring up at him. Takeo and Chisato shared a glance before looking back at him. "Misao-sama says we were supposed to come see you about our kenpo since Hannya-san is busy today."

He nodded. So, Misao wanted him to oversee the training of the kids? For just today, or was he taking it over until sometime later?

He motioned for them to follow and they did so bobbing along behind him, perfectly in step.

What was it about these two that seemed so off?

He determined to try to find out as he led them to the interior courtyard, thankfully finding it empty.

* * *

Misao smiled brightly, trying to hold onto her act of actually being happy to see the older woman. "It's so good to see you, Takani-san."

The lady doctor nodded. "It is also good to see you."

"I've heard you've been making some rather embarassing mistakes out at your clinic, feeling distracted lately?"

Megumi tensed, her entire body stiffening, her face tightening. "I can't imagine how you could have come to such a conclusion. Things are going just fine."

Misao waved a hand. "Either way, business is slow, isn't it? Stay here and relax for a week. You're an important part of the medical community, Takani-san, being the only lady doctor I know of. Please, rest with us."

It was blatantly obvious she was suspicious. "What for?"

"Let's just say I want you to test someone else. No one's in danger, nothing bad will happen. Agreed? Do whatever you like, rest your mind. You do look stressed," she admitted.

The poor woman, no matter how much Misao thought she was obnoxious, had bags under her eyes.

"I suppose one week wouldn't kill me," she conceded.

It wasn't as though she had any choice, Misao thought, rising to her feet.

"Good, good," Misao chirped.

Before the doctor could say anything else, Misao was out the door and it was snapped closed behind her. She exhaled deeply.

She'd never liked Takani Megumi. The other woman had always seemed arrogant and somewhat snobby. Misao had always felt the older, prettier woman was looking down on her.

It brought back the wave of nauseous feelings she'd had when she felt she wasn't good enough to compete with that lady escort, Yumi. She shuddered at the memory.

This would be her life, she thought desparingly. This is the kind of life she would have, always bound in some type of insecurity, fighting off her feelings of jealousy and inadequacy when other, more beautiful women flirted with her husband.

But that's what this week was about, wasn't it? Trying to head off these feelings before she became officially tied to them, or him. Or, whatever it was this was.

She hung her head. Could she really do this? Did she have any choice?

There would be no shortage of women willing to be Aoshi's lover. She sighed, about to head off to her office to get a few things done, Okina came around.

"Ah, there you are. Aoshi is down in the courtyard with the twins, perhaps you should go down and see."

She nodded.

She'd asked the two kids to see Aoshi about training since Hannya had to go out today and she was busy with Takani and paperwork. She hadn't even gotten to her office yet.

She could spare a moment to stop by the courtyard and see how the children were. She really worried about them, those kids.

If things went bad with Aoshi well... She'd have to determine that later, wouldn't she?

She headed down the stairs noting everyone seemed to be off working. That was good. She hated being idle, and she hated others being idle too.

She slid open the doors to the courtyard and all movement inside stopped.

The two children, facing off against each other, immediately turned and bowed toward her. She smiled cheerily.

"How goes?" She asked.

Aoshi's gaze was steady on her, but she ignored him for the moment.

"I heard from your instructor you didn't do well. Either of you, I'm very disappointed. Shooting arrows at wildlife instead of your target wasn't the point of you going there."

She received two frowns.

She wanted so badly to save them, to stop their descent into something she couldn't fathom, but didn't know how. She looked up at Aoshi feeling helpless. Maybe he could...?

"Go to the well and bring back some water."

The two straightened and bowed and then almost ran to the door to escape at Aoshi's order. He watched them until the door snapped closed behind them.

"Chisato and Takeo are... " she trailed off.

"Disturbed?" he asked, a tight frown across his lips.

"They're parents were killed right in front of them. We've tried everything. They're always so quiet and obedient but their behavior is _very _bad. I thought maybe some light training would give them some focus but... They only seem to get worse.

"That's why I sent them to you. Hannya's worked with them a little, but not too much. Spend some time with them and tell me what you think, okay?"

He nodded.

She turned to go, but paused. "We had a dog once, as he got older he got aggressive. At first it was minor, he growled but then it escalated into serious bite wounds. Jiya said we had no choice and the dog was killed. I remember it broke my heart, I cried for hours. I can't help thinking about it now, but it isn't really the same. You can't put down bad children."

Aoshi stared at her, surprised. He couldn't recall ever seeing such a vulnerable look on her face. Not even when she'd cried over Hannya or Soujiro did she look so utterly helpless and afraid of something. Never had she looked so tired or burdened or overwhelmed.

These children then, they were truly weighing on her.

He could understand that. The two children were devils in sheep clothing. All politeness and obedience but something in their eyes spoke of wounds carved deep into their hearts.

"Their parents died in front of them?"

"Protecting them. Others arrived to help ward off the attackers, but it was too late, the two died collapsed over the children. " She replied.

He reached down, turning her chin toward him so their gazes met again. "You give me complete authority over them?  
She nodded, her gaze not wavering from his, even as the door slid open. He watched as he drew his hand away, glancing at the children once and then back to her, but she had looked down.

The children approached where they stood and waited. Misao turned, no smile gracing her face.

"From today forward, Takeo and Chisao, you are directly responsible to Aoshi-sama for yourselves, your actions, and your training."

'Aoshi-sama?'

How easily she'd said that, he thought, watching her smile smoothly at the children. She slipped out the door and quietly closed it leaving them alone again.

'Aoshi-sama', he thought, before turning his gaze back to his young charges.

* * *

"So, I hear you're engaged to marry the Okashira here, is that true?"

"No," he replied, looking back to the window under which Misao was sitting outside. He knew she was out there, he could _feel _her. What was she doing?

Unsupervised. Alone. _Unprotected_.

"Oh. She _does _seem a bit young for you."

He didn't reply. What she thought didn't concern him. Her laughter drew his attention away again.

"You don't think so?"

"No," he replied.

His answer must have surprised her because her laughter quickly died. "I see. You really like her then? Or is this all job related? If you win her then you get to be the Okashira, isn't that so?"

He turned her a stony glance. "Mind your own business," he warned.

"Ah, just like old times. Absorbed in your own little world, not caring about anyone else and using people to suit your own ends. It's too bad time hasn't changed you any, Aoshi."

Is this what Misao wanted?

Is this what she was waiting under the window to hear? Personal insights from his past?

What was it?

The conversation certainly seemed to be taking a personal direction.

He didn't reply to her barb, but Megumi didn't seem to care. She went on without his comment.

He was not happy to see her. Takani Megumi was a symbol of his youth he wanted to forget. A sign of failure so engrained into his pysche he could never escape from it, and that she had become so twisted and cynical made it all the worse.

Did Misao know this?

He doubted she did.

Very few knew of his exact relationship with the doctor's assistant, and he liked it that way.

As far as he knew the leaders of the Oniwabanshuu beneath the Okashira had known of his relationship with Megumi.

Megumi had been a learning experience, but one he didn't often like to remember. Their relationship had been tenative, passionate, but distant. He'd held Megumi at a distance like he did everyone else and she, in the end, had gone tired of what she perceived to be his condescending tone and attitude.

It had ended badly with heated words, mostly hers, and lots of resentment. He had simply felt abandoned by what he could only describe as her sudden turn on him and neither had left happy.

He leaned his head back against the wall, watching Megumi work. He hadn't seen her in years, but it didn't seem she'd changed any.

He glanced toward the window. He no longer sensed Misao's presence.

Before he could blink the door was slid open and there she stood.

"Hello!" she chirped. "How goes, Takani-san?"

Megumi shrugged and Misao frowned.

Aoshi watched as she interacted with Megumi, as though completely unaware of his presence. It simply couldn't be though, not with as long as she'd spent outside the window listening.

From the doorway stirred another presence. One far less friendly. Hannya appeared, his lanky form pulled up straight.

"Okashira." He called. "We have a problem."

Misao's smile faded, the light in her eyes dimming completely as her tiny mouth took a downward turn.

"A problem?"

* * *

End chapter 7 


	8. Part 8

**Being Okashira**

_Part Eight: Work Beckons_

**

* * *

**

"I've had some stupid ideas. Some would say lots of them, but let's not get carried away on the thought. Occasionally, I've acted on them, just... one or two."

Here she got a sour look or two that she ignored as her humor was unappreciated.

"But this, _this _was brilliant. It was a total and complete masterpiece, there's no way it failed."

She tried, fruitlessly, to ignore the piercing stare from the back of the room. Who had invited Aoshi in, anyway? She wondered, trying to determine whether that look in his eyes was a good thing.

"What are you doing?" she snapped. She looked directly at him, but he was completely impassive.

"Listening," he replied. "Should I leave?"

"No, but you shouldn't be huddling in a corner. Get over here! Besides, you're going on this mission. Didn't I tell you?"

Someone had to have told him, he was in the room.

Misao looked up from a paper in front of her sighing heavily.

Before her sat Okina, Kamatari, Aoshi and the two women from the kitchen.

"We had a small outpost in Tokyo that we were closing down. But there were still some important things there, namely some of the file stores and weapons, but mostly unimportant stuff. Only yesterday it was discovered my father's journals had been mistakenly sent there, including the scrolls with his secret technique detailing the Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren, it's history and other things. It's extremely important that this be returned. Your job is very simple: recover the lost wares."

"Do you have a suspect?" Aoshi asked, already looking deep in thought.

"Of course," she replied. "But I'm not going to tell you. This is a test of your detective skills, Aoshi. Good luck."

She attempted whole heartedly to pull off a serious face, but couldn't with the look Okina was giving her. He just didn't appreciate her humor. She broke into laughter, maybe she was overworked.

"You people are too serious sometimes, gives me headaches," she murmured. "Of course we have a suspect. You and Takani-san will be going undercover in Tokyo, it's very likely he's there. Okon will be attending as Takani's servant girl, and your partner."

"How does this relate to Takani?" he asked.

"She knows the target personally. It will make your job much easier, but how you handle it is on you, of course. You leave tomorrow, I expect a report by the end of the week. You may go," she waved her hand as though to brush him out of the room, but he didn't move.

Rather, he stood, staring so intensely at her it made her nervous.

"I will be in charge of this mission?"

She nodded. "Yes, do you feel you will need a male partner also? I could probably track someone down to go with you, although all of the Aoiya's main operatives are currently in place somewhere else. I could call someone from in Tokyo to help... I'll leave it up to you. Jiya will take care of the little details later."

Okina stood, he yawned. "I'm going to head out now. I think a trip to town will do me good. " He grinned lecherously.

Omasu and Okon stood. "Oh? Off to terrorize the town girls, again?"

The three walked out, Okina balking at the suggestion of that women found him a 'terror'. Kamatari chuckled.

"I suppose you won't be needing me for this mission?"

"Not unless Aoshi wants you to go with him." She looked up. "Need Kamatari?"

She was giving Aoshi complete and total control. She was trusting him with the details of the mission, the mission planning and execution, and she was trusting him with the safety of Takani and Okon. She hoped he realized it.

Aoshi turned an icy glare toward the flirtatious male, and Kamatari stood, hiding a smile behind his hand. "Guess not."

He turned, winking at Misao.

"No problems, Misao-chan, I'm not offended. Some men can't handle beauty like mine." He smiled. "However, I do know when I'm defeated. Would it be all right for me to return to Nara? All there is now is certification of Shinomori, right?"

Misao crossed her arms and glanced uncertainly toward the man who still seemed to be trying to stare her down.

"Go ahead, head back to Nara," she replied, not answering his question about Aoshi.

As soon as Kamatari left the rumors would start flying with vigor. Ever since Soujiro had gone, people had started talking. Now with only Aoshi remaining, it seemed like an inevitability.

Aoshi may have easily overtaken Soujiro and Kamatari, but he would be wise to remember he couldn't force anything on her and with one word from her, he would return to where he came from and the process would start all over again.

She sighed.

"You have a problem?" she asked, she hadn't forgotten he was standing there. Far from it, Shinomori Aoshi had a presence that could not be ignored. She was completely on edge with him around.

"I merely wished to discuss the details further, if that suits you."

She frowned. "I guess so, although Jiya is really much better suited so things like that."

She sat down wishing she had some tea, just to have something to stare at. Why him of all people?

She repressed a sigh. "What kind of details are you interested in?"

"You mentioned Takani..."

"Oh, right. Takani-san was an assistant during her medical training under a man called Hirashi. Hirashi was business partners with a port merchant who was called Okuba. He is the man you'll be searching for. Hirashi should be able to get you in contact with Okuba."

"You said the Kaiten Kenbu Roruken is in of the stolen books?"

She sighed. "The Oniwabanshuu secret arts aren't supposed to be written, but passed down from person to person. Honestly, the scrolls with the technique is just a rumor. No one actually knows what's in the journals of my father because no one dared to read them.

"Apparently he made some remarks when he was still alive that caused people to wonder what was in the journals."

For several minutes, he was silent, his gaze fell to her twitching fingers.

He stared at her, watching. Again, she looked small and overwhelmed. He wondered perhaps... Was he making her nervous?

He wanted to remain at the Aoiya, remain with Misao, but he could not. He could not request to stay, it was too much an opportunity.

He wanted to draw himself closer to her, and not entirely because he liked her. She would only hand over the Oniwabanshuu to him when he had her trust, before that she would staunchly refuse.

Aside from that, Misao did look like she needed protection.

She was staring down at the table, looking drawn and contemplative. Was something bothering her? Something more than the simple mission he was expected to leave on tomorrow?

"If you are able to locate the journals, please attempt to return them. If you cannot bring them, just destroy them. That is really all I'm worried about."

He nodded. "Aa."

He stood, preparing to leave, but decided to pause. He _was_ the candidate, perhaps he could be afforded some leniency?

"Okashira?"

"Yes?" She sounded entirely too perky all the sudden.

He peered back at her, she was looking up with a smile. Was she trying to hide something? Did she just want him gone that badly that the possibility of him leaving brightened her up so drastically?

"Why is Takani-san here?"

She sighed heavily, looking away, her bright demeanor promptly dimming. "Ah, remember what I said about stupid ideas? Just count that as one of them, I'm not sure what I was thinking with that. I'll figure it out."

She reached up, scratching her temple.

"Anyway, off with you. I have stuff to do."

He didn't question the assertion she was busy, he was sure she was. He did, however, silently question the idea she had any intentions of doing work if he left. He felt, perhaps rightly so, she just wanted him gone.

That didn't seem promising.

* * *

Misao stared out the window, watching the rain fall against the glass. The wind had been blowing mercilessly all day and it had barely stopped raining enough for the others to make a quick trip downtown for some food supplies.

She'd been wrapped up in a blanket upstairs staring out the window for most of the day. It had been two long suffering days since Aoshi had left with the two women, Takani and Okon.

To say she was curious was an understatement.

She'd considered sending a couple spies out to peek out over the city where they were working, but had decided against it.

There was simply no time for it. No time and no spare men around to do the job. All the others were busy.

Rumors were flying around like crazy about faction groups dissatisfied with the government planning a coup. She'd been out of her mind since she'd gotten the report yesterday, trying to fathom how this was possible.

Jiya had assured her it was probably nothing more than a group of those from the disbanded samurai class trying to make a fuss, but she couldn't be sure, and she hated being uncertain.

To add to her uncertainty, she'd spent the day wondering what Aoshi would do if he were in her position right now. She hung her head in her hands, fighting the urge to yank her own hair in frustration. What was he doing?

She sighed heavily, closing her eyes.

She'd sent Okon along, not to help but Aoshi, but to spy on him and Takani. She grinned.

She loved her own deviousness.

She couldn't wait till they got back. The mission, in all it's fluffed up importance, was little more than a crock. She'd cooked it up skimming over some reports.

She hadn't sent them out on a premise of lies, just... inaccuracies. Takani really did know the contact personally, Okuba really was a bad guy, but the so-called journals were nothing.

She smiled.

She was just sending Aoshi out to get a feel for him and Takani. If she was one thing, and she admitted it forthright, she was jealous of other women. She would not accept Takani in any form, around Aoshi, her Okashira or not if she suspected there was still something there.

Of course, from what she'd heard, all that lay between them was a lot of bitterness.

She huffed to herself, turning her gaze out the window, eyes narrowing in fierce displeasure.

She hated that woman.

Okay, fine, she didn't hate her, she amended.

Takani was surprisingly useful, but she really, really didn't like her.

Smiling to herself she leaned back against the wall, snuggling into her blanket.

What was he doing now? Somehow the man just wouldn't leave her head.

* * *

Aoshi stared at the young woman Misao had sent along with him. Megumi was doing much of what she always did, reading. Her propensity for the solitary activity had never irked him before, nor did it now. He never liked clingy women and Megumi's personality seemed to suit him well. Or, he thought it had at the time. 

But now, having met Misao, he'd begun to wonder about that. Misao seemed the type to be clingy if she were close - he'd seen her hanging off Hannya and Okina's arm once or twice, smiling brightly at them. Somehow, having her hang off his arm staring up at him that way seemed less and less like the bother it had been to him once.

He'd known women to attach themselves to men that way. They'd done it to him on numerous occasions, to which he'd responded sourly. Now, though, he wondered...

What would it be like? To have Misao cling to him?

Okon, on the other hand, did not appear to be the quiet type and was currently staring out the window looking disgruntled.

Her attempts at making conversation had died on every turn and she didn't appear one bit happy about it.

"I'll have you know the both of you are boring," she huffed, standing up. "I'm going to bed."

She passed from the small room into the next. It was a small place outside of town that looked abandoned. Dust covered everything, but they hadn't minded. They were just passing through and borrowing the old place and it had two rooms, that was a wonder if nothing else. Well, it was really one room with a long, thin set of shoji doors down the center to separate it off, but no one was complaining.

Okon peered around and quietly slipped out the door into the next room, sliding the door closed.

Misao had wanted her to find out something about Takani and Shinomori but it wasn't such a simple job.

Both were so tight-lipped.

She remembered the conversation she'd had with Misao the night before they left very clearly.

_"Need something, Misao?" _

_The young leader looked up from her book, frowning. "Hey, come in, sit down, sit down. I was waiting for you."_

_"What's going on?"_

_"I want you to spy on Aoshi."_

_Okon blinked. "What?"_

_"That's your job. You'll be going as Takani's assistant, but I want you to spy on them. Find out what's going on, etc."_

_"With Takani and Shinomori?" she asked, baffled._

_"Right."_

_"May I ask why?"_

_Misao sat back. "Wouldn't you? She's the enemy! Competition number one! She must be destroyed!" Misao exclaimed dramatically, settling down a bit afterwards. "Seriously, though, she is a problem."_

_Okon frowned. _

_"Oh, don't give me that look. I didn't ask you to cut off her fingers and mutilate her face or anything."_

_She scoffed and looked back down at her book and Okon smiled._

_"Right, I'll find out whatever I can."_

_"It's not gonna be easy, they're both ice-blocks. Good luck."_

_They shared a smile and Okon quietly left._

It had been less than two days and they'd already located the man in question. Tomorrow would be the confrontation, probably around dusk although she had the nagging feeling she'd be following around Takani and Aoshi would be off somewhere handling the work alone.

She didn't particularly mind being relegated to 'assistant' a.k.a. servant girl, but Takani _was _obnoxious sometimes.

So far she'd discovered nothing. It was a tad bit discouraging, but it was what wasn't said she was beginning to become interested in. Takani and Shinomori seemed, if anything, to be ignoring each other.

That had to be good, at least she'd thought so initially.

Then she'd noticed they were sneaking glances at each other. What she needed to do was get away and try to observe them from a distance to see what happened. Tomorrow, she'd try that when they headed into town. They had no definite plans until dark, at least she and Takani didn't. Aoshi planned something because he said he'd be gone all day before they'd ate this evening.

She sighed and headed for the far wall. She had only a few things and her blanket was one of them. Curling up with it, she drifted off, waiting to implement her plan in the morning.

* * *

"How long do you suppose this will take?" Megumi asked, after a length of silence, never looking up from her material. 

Aoshi glanced toward her, remaining silent a moment. "We'll head out, presumably, by tomorrow evening."

"That's all?" she asked, raising her head as though she were truly in disbelief.

He nodded.

"I intend to head to town tomorrow," she stated, apparently not looking for approval.

Aoshi looked away.

This situation seemed entirely too familiar. He was acquainted with a time long ago when he sat in a wood side cabin with Megumi reading while waiting to meet up with his men.

A time that seemed long ago, but wasn't far from memory. At least, not far enough.

How interesting they should end up in a place so similar to one they'd parted in.

"What for?"

This time it was her who looked up, meeting his gaze directly.

"I want to see if there are any new reading materials. I heard there was this wonderful new solution for application to wound closures but I'm still looking into it."

If a person could count on one thing about Takani Megumi, it was her love of her work. The simplest question could lead into a speech on any number of possibilities all full of medical jargon that left one staring at her, perhaps in awe, perhaps just wondering what had been said.

It was admirable.

He stood, turning toward the door, discarding the tea she'd served him earlier. "I'll return later."

The weather had been mediocre, but it wasn't cold. He stepped outside and stopped, leaning against the old wall of the place, breathing in the night air.

This project should be over by noon the following morning. Okuba had proved to be a pushover, ridiculously charmed by Takani. He'd practically melted. Aoshi had been near disgusted at the display, thinking he'd disembowel himself before he bowed at a woman's feet like that.

All he had to do was check out the location he'd heard about. Some pawn merchant by the river. He didn't expect to find much, having doubts about Okuba's reliability.

The possibility that he would find anything seemed unlikely. He'd investigated the storehouse just the day before and found nothing but the charred remains of a shack. It looked very much like everything in it had gone up in flames also.

He sighed and slid down to the ground, propping his kodachi at his side. It was best to get some rest, tomorrow would be the last day.

The thought was a light at the end of the tunnel. Traveling with Megumi and Okon was _worse _than Kamatari. He was regretful he'd sent the cross-dresser away.

* * *

Aoshi navigated through the crowded city streets irritably. He'd overslept, the sun was almost mid-sky. It hadn't helped Megumi and Okon were long gone, no doubt something she'd done with that sleep potion of hers she was making for Misao. He'd just barely heard about it yesterday. Foolishly, he'd not been interested in her little project and this is what it got him. 

Damn woman. That was another thing that irritated him, her making him her little experimental project _without _telling him. He was never accepting food or drink of any kind from her again. Ever.

He growled as a man walked into him, stumbling out of the local tavern. The little man apologized quickly and scampered away.

Aoshi paused as he came around a corner to a less populated street. It was a narrow, dim little alleyway.

A young woman stood, adorned in a light colored furisode, a long, perfect braid hanging down her back.

He stepped forward. "Misao?"

The girl turned, smiled, and vanished.

He blinked, puzzled.

"What?"

What just happened?

He glanced away and looked back, but she wasn't there.

Well, it wasn't sleep deprivation, he thought, quickly pushing on. He couldn't afford to lose more time, he'd analyze along the way. Maybe he was suffering some kind of side-effect from Megumi's herbal medication?

He stepped away from the streets heading off onto the dirt path. His head felt woozy, his eyes tired.

"Aoshi-sama?"

He turned toward the voice, but there was no one. He was alone, now several hundred feet outside of town. Was that her voice?

Aoshi-sama? Was she calling him Aoshi-sama still?

He continued on, significantly worried. He needed to get to there and get back.

"Aoshi-sama..."

He stopped again, pitching unsteadily on his feet. What the hell was wrong with him? Hadn't he heard Megumi tell him at some point auditory hallucinations were the most common type ?

He turned, searching for the source of the voice. It was still and quiet on every side in every direction. Sunny, no wind, not even a whisper of sound. Total silence.

He started to move again, forward, his feet lumbering and feeling heavy.

"Aoshi?"

It was so close that time, he thought. He glanced around and stopped catching sight of a dark head of hair over his shoulder.

"Misao?"

He turned completely, staring at the girl in front of him. She looked real. Her eyes were narrowed as she stared at him curiously, obviously wondering what plagued him.

No, nothing could be wrong. She couldn't see him this way.

He took one step forward, staring at her kimono. Why was she dressed this way? He reached forward as his legs suddenly felt weak, and he fell.

His knees collided with the dirt, his hands fisting in the shoulders of her kimono as he attempted to steady himself, vainly. Her hands settled over his fists, eyes clearly worried.

"Aoshi? What's wrong?"

He tilted his head down, closing his eyes. Everything was spinning. He listed slightly, trying precariously to hold onto his delicate sense of balance. Her hands tightened on his, trying to steady him fruitlessly.

Unable to tide the uneven feelings he leaned his head against her, dropping his hands to her waist, holding himself to her.

He breathed her in. She smelled so good...

He just barely felt her arms slide around his shoulders before everything faded out.

* * *

Misao looked up. "Genius that I am... I don't remember _this _being part of the plan." 

Hannya just stared at his leader trying, desperately, to hold up the fallen man, almost knocking her over.

"Kyah!"

He watched as she finally lost the short lived battle and hit the ground, Aoshi falling over her, completely out of it.

"What the hell happened to Aoshi? Where is Takani and Okon? Were my orders unclear or something?" she snapped, trying to push the man off her, unsuccessfully.

"Perhaps something went wrong," Hannya suggested, assisting her in pulling Aoshi off her.

She sighed heavily. "Right... Okay, grab Sleepy there and let's head to town. I'll stay with him, you find the other two."

Hannya nodded and motioned behind him. Kuro emerged and helped support Aoshi as they headed toward town.

The others were watching her, she knew that. Every time she looked back to see Aoshi, they looked at her. Granted, she wasn't so worried about what Hannya thought, but Kuro would tell the others and she'd be teased mercilessly by Omasu and Okon.

She sighed heavily and glanced back once more. What was wrong with him? He hadn't looked sick when she sent him out...

She'd been reading over a report given to the previous Okashira just hours and discovered it was common of her predecessor to visit injured agents in non-hostile times. She'd immediately grasped the opportunity and decided travel was what she needed.

Well, that wasn't her official reason for being where she was. Jiya had given her the third degree about her sudden travel plans and insisted that Kuro go with her, insisting that Hannya alone was not enough protection.

She was, officially, here to see one of her agents, Kurei, about some injury reports she'd gotten. She'd convinced Jiya a visit from her would be a good morale-booster and he couldn't argue the point.

"There is a meeting house near here, perhaps that would be better?" Hannya suggested.

Misao paused. "Good idea, we save money and don't look suspicious. I vaguely remember reading about a meeting house in this area..."

"Up ahead, two places down," Hannya informed her, his voice speaking of fatigue from lugging around Aoshi.

She smiled and approached the place, sliding open the door.

The courtyard within was deserted but she knew the place could not be empty.

"Pardon the intrusion," she called out.

The door slid open by a strangely genki old man.

"Can I help you, young lady?"

"Sure can, Gramps. I'm looking for Kurei," she replied, not sure whether she should be bouncy or serious for this meeting. "And Aoshi needs to rest for a bit."

"Kurei?" he questioned.

She flipped her wrist, to show her palm face up and the 3 silver balls dangling from a black, leather strip tied around and around her wrist.

He immediately began apologizing. She waved him off.

"Take him in and see him to a doctor. You have one here, don't you?"

"We will leave you now, if it is all right," Hannya spoke up, assured of Misao's safety within the house.

Misao turned back to Hannya and Kuro and nodded. "Finish this up, grab Takani and Okon. If Aoshi is okay, we leave at sunset."

They both nodded and headed back out and she tucked away the metal jewelry within the folds of her clothing.

It had been given to her to use as an identifier as Okashira by Okina, but it was not the Oniwabanshuu standard. That, she was told, she was not permitted to carry. The Oniwabanshuu Okashira standard was something only the males, the official leader, could carry.

What she had was the temporary standard, reserved for the few lady leaders before the men took over.

Something, it seemed, that would be given to Aoshi on his certification.

She stepped into the open doorway and took a deep breath. She hated visiting other places, she always felt so... fake. Well, maybe not fake... Powerless maybe. Like she was being looked down on.

She hated the feeling, but she'd never in a million years let anyone see it.

"How is everyone doing?" she asked, her voice sedate.

The meeting house had been turned into a triage center after there had been a major explosion on one of the local docks. Her men had been renting a warehouse at the location when munitions in a neighboring building had been set off by rebels angry over the foreign trade.

_"I apologize, Okashira, I didn't know you had come."_

Misao turned away from the old man, instead turning to look at a woman in the opposite doorway.

"You are Kurei, then?" she asked, guessing.

She nodded. Damn her luck, Misao thought. Another beautiful woman, why the hell were there so many of them around her? She could've screamed.

"How is everyone doing?" Misao asked again.

"Well. We've lost the expected number of men, 2, but everyone else seems to be recovering well enough."

Misao brightened at the thought.

"And Aoshi?"

The woman blinked. "I'm sorry, who?"

"I brought him in, not ten minutes ago..." Misao replied.

The woman cast a puzzled glance at the man by her side.

"I believe he was taken up to a sick room. I shall find out for you."

The old man bowed to her, and asked for permission to leave. She waved him off. Misao looked away, silently exhaling. What a day... She was never making another morale-trip, ever.

* * *

He could hear the shuffle of feet and soft breathing but it was hard to hear anything over the pounding in his head. His ears seemed to be ringing with the sharpest, most irritable tone that wouldn't fade. 

Damn woman, he cursed. When he got his hands on her...

"Feeling better, Aoshi? What happened?"

He squinted, his eyes fluttering open to settle on a blurry Misao. Or, maybe that wasn't Misao?

He blinked a few times, hoping the image would clear and, thankfully, it did.

"What do you need a sleeping tonic for?" Was it her intent to drug people? Was it some kind of weapon he should be looking out for? Maybe she just had trouble sleeping?

She stared at moment, looking puzzled.

"Oh, you mean Takani-san's project? That's for Jiya. He doesn't sleep well these days and sometimes he gets too rowdy so I like to send him to bed early. It's good for him."

This was the kind of thing she gave Okina? He pitied the old man.

"Although, what does that have to do with you and why are you falling all over the street? I was really worried!"

He settled, willing his body to stop aching, but his head ignored him and continued to throb.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"With Hannya and Kuro, stop dancing around my questions. What happened to you? I left this whole mission in your care and I come into town and you fall all over yourself, or well, fell all over me. " 

He wondered if she felt half as disturbed as she sounded.

Fell all over her? Well, he thought absently, that must've been a sight. She'd probably crumple and be stuck beneath him.

"I don't know," he answered, completely honestly. "I think it was Megumi's medication."

"Were you sick?"

Did she have to ask him twenty questions _now_? Any other time would be better than the present, but she persisted and sat where she was, stubbornly at his side.

"No," he answered, hoping she wouldn't ask anything else.

She sighed and he opened his eyes again. Her gaze was toward the floor, staring at nothing. Had she really been that upset?

Over him?

Her hands slid around his, one beneath his palm, the other curled around the back of his hand. She was so warm...

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." His voice barely a whisper. "Failure is unacceptable."

Behind her, the door slid open. Misao growled at the interruption.

"My apologizes for interrupting... May I see you, Okashira?"

Aoshi's eyes fluttered open and he glanced past her toward the woman and then turned away again. She looked like one of those types he didn't like. He had gotten good at identifying them at first glance.

Misao squeezed his hand and stood up, moving away from him toward the lady. Why did she seem so upset?

She stepped out into the hall and he sat up, groaning. He was in a collective sick room, he thought, staring at the others injured around him. Must've been serious, he thought, glancing at blood stained bandages.

He pulled himself to his feet and followed after Misao. She hadn't wandered far and was standing at the opposite end of the hall, her arms crossed, her chin tilted up, eyebrows drawn down.

"Unacceptable. Fix it." He heard her say.

The woman wrung her hands. "But, Okashira... _Surely,_ you see the benefits of abandoning this project. Continuing on this way will only cause more damage -"

Misao growled "Abandoning a project in which lives of my men are at stake is not an option at this point. If you thought it was a good option before you should have mentioned so long before it got this far along!"

"But-"

Aoshi stepped up. Who was this woman to question Misao? _"If you cannot obey your orders, you can be punished and reassigned." _

The woman's head jerked in his direction and she scowled.

"Misao is the current Okashira, questioning her authority will not be tolerated."

The woman's lips twitched. "I'm merely trying to appeal her decision, is all."

Misao shook her head, stubborn.

"If I may so inquire, what is the problem?" he asked.

"Tsuioka Katsuhiro has been a fugitive from the Tokyo police for 8 months. Because of the bounty placed on his head, several members of a small Tokyo band went deep under cover hoping to root out the illegal bomb maker and get the reward. I approved, seemed like an okay idea.

"As it turns out Tsuioka has aligned himself with a radical group of followers determined to rid Japan of the _foreign menace_. That's what happened to the men upstairs, a dock explosion. Kurei wants to abandon the mission and pull all Oniwabanshuu funds from the project and redirect them.

"That would leave the men implanted vulnerable without back up or contact with other Oniwabanshuu members and it would cut off a source of information. That is the problem. I couldn't just suddenly pull them back, it could jeopardize the entire organization if one of Tsuioka's men were to get lucky and discover the others were part of the Oniwabanshuu."

He stared at her in semi-amazement. Perhaps he'd been wrong on how well she handled Oniwabanshuu business.

"If I may..." he started, seeking her permission to intercede.

Doing anything that may damage Misao's reputation or standing as Okashira would cause irreparable harm at this stage.

She stood her ground, nodding sedately to Aoshi, giving him control of the situation.

"The Oniwabanshuu's current mission as defined by the current Okashira is the preservation of our peaceful Meiji period. Radical groups causing destruction and death to foreign merchants and ships would cause diplomatic problems to arise between Japan and foreign nations. It may also adversely effect the current economy given all the foreign trade. Since you are unable to handle this project, return to your home base. "

The woman glanced at Misao and Misao nodded, waving her off. The glare was fixed on her face as the woman turned, leaving them alone in the hall.

"You just sent her back? Is that a good idea? All these men here are used to being under her command."

"Never allow anyone to question you. Her feelings would influence those working for her and gradually chip away at your influence and ability to lead. "

She just nodded, a dim expression painted on her face. What was worrying her?

"Are you okay to travel? Hannya and Kuro should be back soon and I wanted to leave at sunset."

"Aa."

His head was still pounding, but he could deal with that. Megumi deserved a good verbal thrashing for setting him up with her potion clandestinely, but it was something he wouldn't get around to doing.

He heard Misao sigh as they walked toward the front door.

"So how did you end up with Takani's sleeping potion? You never did say."

"She put it in my tea."

"Without telling you?" Misao asked, astonished.

"Aa."

"Really?" she blinked, stopping to look back at him pausing in the open doorway. "_She does things like that?_" she asked, her voice raised in what might be outrage.

"... Aa."

"Ooooh! I wish she'd come work for me!" Misao shook her head, disappointed and Aoshi grinned just slightly.

What a girl she was.

* * *

End Chapter 8 


	9. Part 9

**Being Okashira**

_Part Nine: Image on the Breeze_

**

* * *

**  
The return trip to the Aoiya was tense. Misao grilled Megumi on the potion, which resulted in an arguement of monumental porportions. Okon and Kuro had watched in amusement while Hannya remained on guard and Aoshi kept by Misao's side, ready to pull her away from a physical confrontation.

Something he'd had to do twice already.

Megumi raised her hand to cover her mouth, laughing. "I can't believe a little weasel like you leads a ninja group."

Misao growled and lunged, but Aoshi caught her, with barely a glance her direction, this time keeping a hold of her elbow.

Misao glared at him with the fires of hell in her eyes.

"You know, Aoshi, I think it's time we had a little chat. Again. About who's in charge around here. I don't think we've had the _'I'm not a little kid anymore'_ talk yet, but it's not too late to start."

Megumi snickered and Misao shot her a nasty glare.

"I suggest someone check their laughter or she'll find herself with a clinic in millions of detachable pieces."

Megumi's expression dimmed, a frown etching on her ruby lips. "Really, quite the moral beacon, aren't you?"

Misao shot her a glittering smile. "I am, aren't I?"

The others chuckled and her irritation at Aoshi seemed to vanish, but he still kept hold of her elbow.

"Of course, this from the girl who says stealing from thieves isn't really stealing because she didn't steal it first," Hannya remarked from up front.

"Hey, hey!" Misao shouted. "If it's in my hands, it's mine. It's a live-by rule."

"Oh?" Megmi's fox ears popped up. "Does Aoshi count too?"

Misao glanced at Aoshi, still holding her arm.. "I'm technically in his hands and he doesn't count."

She raised a brow. "Oh?"

Misao fumed. "Okay that does it. Let go, Aoshi, I want to smack her."

He pulled the struggling girl to the other side of him.

"Why is it I have to remind you, _I'm _the one in charge around here?"

"If I thought you could behave yourself I wouldn't be restraining you."

She huffed and crossed her arms, or tried to only Aoshi's hand on her arm impeded the motion. Instead she just growled, and began sulking, kicking at things in her way.

Along the way, Aoshi's hand slid down, dropping to Misao's wrist.

She looked over, but didn't comment, and the random abuse of roadside litter ended.

* * *

She watched them quietly as they walked along. The others were ahead slightly with her trailing at the back of the group, Misao and Aoshi in front of her some feet. They hadn't said anything to one another but there was an interesting tension between them.

Aoshi had released her elbow, no longer pulling her along like a cantankerous child, instead sliding his long fingers around her slender wrist.

Aoshi's actions, in her eyes, were amazingly signficant. Aoshi was never one for casual touching. He didn't like being touched, in most cases, and didn't like reciprocating them.

She recalled him being especially sensitive to men putting their hands on his shoulders casually or other such friendly gestures. She didn't know what was the cause of his disdain for violation of his personal space, nor had she thought to ask.

But they were an interesting pair, weren't they?

So... unsual.

Aoshi was so stiff and silent and Misao... Misao was so bubbily and ... young.

There must be at least ten years between them, she thought, but Aoshi seemed to like her. He _must_ like her on some level, she thought, staring at the two as the walked along together. It was beyond unusual for Aoshi to intiate contact, let alone maintain it, for any period of time.

It hadn't been _necessary _to restrain the girl. While Misao was boisterous and loud and often given to dramatic exhibitions of kunai throwing, she had yet to see the girl actually attack someone in a malacious fashion.

She had not known Aoshi to be a particuarily dominating man either. He had never quibbled over her doing what she wanted when she wanted to do it and never went out of his way to either involve himself in her business or to approve or disapprove thereof.

Although she had to admit her relationship with Aoshi had been different. They'd been lovers, she doubted very much he had a relationship like that with Misao.

Aside from their physical contact, she thought back, maybe they hadn't had a relationship at all. They never really had much time for each other. Aoshi had never been talkative and she wasn't given to rambling over either. Not like Misao, but this was different. Misao was Aoshi's senior.

He was, as it were, subject to Misao's will, with her as the leader. Could he simply wish to exert some type of power over her? She had heard passing by a few rooms in the Aoiya that Aoshi was in line to marry Misao to take over the Oniwabanshuu, but she didn't know what that was really about.

It didn't seem like Aoshi would go through so much trouble just to keep her quiet. There didn't seem to be any need for that.

Still, he was still holding onto her wrist. Perhaps he was trying to win the girl over? If it were true, and Aoshi married Misao, that would make him the head of the ninja group.

What an interesting arrangment indeed. So, did that mean Misao's consent was required?

Hmm, it certainly made more sense that way. Especially for him to be going out of his way for her. If that wasn't the case she couldn't see Aoshi getting any closer to her than necessary if he only needed the consent of her guardian.

Poor girl, Megumi thought. Did she know Aoshi was courting her to get to the position of Okashira?

* * *

They made camp several hours later by a riverside. Misao was thankful for Kuro catching some fish, proclaiming she was starving. She settled down early though, at the base of a tree and fell promptly off to sleep.

Hannya and Kuro watched, with some concern, their leader across the way.

"You suppose she's all right?" Kuro asked, glancing at Hannya.

Megumi and Okon glanced toward where Misao lay sleeping.

"She has a lot to worry about now, but I'm sure she's just fine," Hannya replied, watching as Aoshi stripped off his coat and laid it over the slumbering girl.

Everyone discreetly watched as he settled down at her side, crossing his legs and leaning back, closing his eyes.

Tomorrow, they would return to the Aoiya.

* * *

Misao blinked herself awake, not surprised to find herself curled up beside someone flat on the ground. It wasn't uncommon for her to sleep next to someone, she liked the warmth and the others had not minded. It was a habit carried over from childhood she'd kept if within certain company.

She didn't burrow up to strangers... Like Megumi for instance. That would be a mini-disaster.

She sighed softly, warm and happy, cudling closer to her solid self-warming pillow. She recognized the tough yellowish material near her face as the collar of Aoshi's long off-white trenchcoat. She couldn't see, without looking up, who she was snuggled against, but she really didn't need to.

Her arm was across his waist, she could feel the firmness of him along her arm. He was hard and solid and so... manly.

There was no way the person next to her was anyone except Aoshi.

Hannya never laid with her like this. Sometimes they slept sitting up against a tree, but never snuggled on the ground.

Hannya didn't snuggle. He thought it was dangerous to be laid out that way.

She wondered why Aoshi didn't feel the same... Although Hannya had always been in 'watch dog' mode for as long as she'd known him.

So, being wanted for the Okashira position got her Aoshi-snuggling?

She almost giggled at the thought. Of course, if they married she'd get a lot more of him.

It was still dark, but very close to dawn. The birds had begun chirping.

Beside her, he shifted slightly and then turned to his side, facing her. His arm was curled under her body, and pulled her closer, almost as though shielding her from someone else.

She suspected he was already awake. All the males she'd ever met that so exceeded her in skill always did things like that. They were always awake before her, always alert before her, always a step ahead. It made sense that he fell into that category so completely.

"Aoshi?"

"Hmm..."

She didn't know if that meant he was awake or half awake or still asleep.

"You awake?" she asked, tenatively.

"Aa."

"You remember when you told me you fought a man in Tokyo to prove yourself to the former Okashira?" It had been on her mind a while...

"Aa."

"What did he think?" she asked, curious.

"Of me leaving to fight Himura?"

"Of everything. You fighting, leaving and losing and all that stuff. You did see him before he died, right?"

He paused. She almost thought he wasn't going to answer her at all.

"He told me I disappointed him. That, in my shame, I had lost the ability to think clearly. I was demoted to the rank of foot solider for the offense and for leaving without orders for an entire year."

"He was easy on you... Leaving for a whole year, that's abandonment of duties. Punishment for leaving the organization without approval is..."

_Was _death, she thought. Those who broke off without permission were killed. She'd flipped out when she'd first discovered this. But Jiya and Hannya had explained why it was sometimes necessary to protect the Oniwabanshuu, that some of the wayward strays were removed. Betrayal of the Oniwabanshuu code, however, was rare.

She had not, thankfully, had that problem.

His voice was gruff and tight as he continued. "He told me I needed more focus and that I should be more social with my fellow ninjas."

Misao smiled against the cloth of his shirt. "And, of course, you didn't."

She thought it over a few minutes.

"If it happens again - if you lost something important to you, do you think you would be the same?"

That time it had been his pride, but what of next time? The age old proverb, 'no matter how good you are, there is always someone stronger', was definitely true. It was only a matter of time then, before Aoshi would meet someone like that again, wasn't it?

Aoshi wanted to pull her closer, but they were already as near to one another as they could be. He could feel all of her against him, and that she was willing and relaxed... And asking pointed personal questions didn't exactly make his day, but it certainly seemed to be going well.

He hadn't had the comfort of someone beside him in a long time.

He remembered the shame of that incident so painfully well. He remembered being reduced to foot soldier, his rank and title, tossed, with his honor. The respect and recognition he'd wanted lost to him, and instead he'd been adorned with his leader's "disappointment". A dark cloud over everyone, he was looked away from and rejected for so long...

Could their be any fate worse than that? In the entire year he'd been gone, Oniwabanshuu spies had followed him, but no assassins had ever approached.

The Okashira had watched him, but seemed to think he would return. His words had indicated as much.

Aoshi had never intended to leave. He never intended to lose to Himura either and return to the Oniwabanshuu doorstep, his only home, a whipped dog.

He recalled the entire incident with disdain.

But it was different now. The Okashira hadn't been wrong, he now realized. Then, there had been no focus in his life. He was a man with no purpose, no one important to him, simply living by and working by the code of the Oniwabanshuu.

Now, it couldn't be that way. Now, there was _her_.

Misao, a singular, bubbling force of life that couldn't, in any capacity, be ignored.

He could not again lose his clarity of thinking _because _of her. She would be one of his chief responsiblities. If he couldn't think straight - Misao would be hurt.

Anything happening to her would be unforgivable.

"No, it wouldn't happen again."

"Why?" she asked.

A logical question, he thought. Somehow, this early morning interrogation had raised his respect for her. Had she been thinking about this a while?

"Because I have to protect you."

He didn't know if she realized what he intended with the words. That she had become the focus his former Okashira had told him he needed, but she accepted it.

She moved to sit up, slowly drawing away and he followed. He expected her to pull away and start moaning about breakfast. Instead, her arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled herself closer, almost in his lap.

"Aoshi-sama, when we're alone, I should call you 'snuggle-bunny'," she whispered to him.

She pulled away giggling.

So, that's what he was, huh? The Okashira's snuggle-bunny. He thought back to the imposing man that the previous Okashira had been and compared him to the light eyed girl now serving in his place.

He pulled himself slowly to his feet to ready for the morning, the others were doing the same. He didn't mind being her 'snuggle-bunny', he thought, as long as he was the only one.

He was already becoming territorial.

Her casual use of 'Aoshi-sama' seemed to indicate she'd become comfortable with saying it. He hoped that meant what he thought it did.

* * *

Misao stepped into the Aoiya, immediately breaking off from them and heading toward her office. Aoshi watched her go, wondering if it would be 'his office' soon. He wondered even more if Misao would come there.

"How did the trip go?"

He turned to see Okina in another doorway, the old man had his hands tucked behind his back, a smile on his lips.

"The conclusion was suitable," Hannya replied.

"And Misao?"

"She has returned to her office."

Okina nodded, waving his hand, obviously dismissing them.

"Come, have some tea with me, Aoshi. We have some things to discuss."

Aoshi stepped away from the door, leaving Megumi alone in the room as he followed the old man out.

"How are things going with Misao?"

"Fine."

Okina reached for the tea pot, pouring the steaming brew, a small smile on his old face.

"Before Misao left, Misao referred to you, although it appeared quite accidentally, as 'Aoshi-sama'. How did this come about?"

So that's what this was about. Misao had accidentally called him "Aoshi-sama" when talking to Okina.

"She referred to me first as Aoshi-sama when she told Chisato and Takeo I would be taking over their training."

"And she has used it since then, continuously?"

"No, sporadically."

Okina nodded. "What of the twins? How are they fairing?"

"No notable improvement as of yet."

"Very well, thank you, Aoshi."

* * *

Misao pulled the blanket away, walking to her window. She hated nights like these, where it was too warm to sleep.

She peered outside, not expecting to see anything more than familiar landscape, but a figure drew her eye.

Takani-san. Out this late?

Misao stepped away and headed to the door. The others were awake too, it seemed, spotting lights under several doors.

Who could sleep in this warmth? Although several of them were probably gambling. She let it go and stepped outside.

It was a night where wearing anything seemed like too much, she thought, approaching where the lady doctor had sat down.

"Good evening Takani-san."

The woman looked up. "Good evening."

"Sorry, I guess it's been a bad week. I invited you to stay to relax and all. I suppose things aren't any better at the clinic."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

Misao turned to meet the woman's gaze directly. "Underestimating me because of my age is a disadvantage to you, Takani-san, not me. I know all about your clinic's problems with Kanyruu Takeda's men."

The woman released a shuddering breath. "Even dead he haunts me," she admitted. "It wasn't my agreement, the loan. It was a deal made by the clinic owner, the doctor I was studying under. He had a deal with Kanyruu to make opium in return for establishing the clinic.

"He, like Kanryuu, is dead now but the debt of the clinic is a legal debt. I'm now held responsible as propirietor of the clinic."

Misao nodded, having known all such before hand.

"And Kanryuu's brother-in-law wants to collect the cash. Yeah, I know all about that. I was thinking about it and you know what...?"

Megumi glanced at her.

"I'll take care of it for you."

"W-what?" The woman rose to her feet.

"There's a doctor by the name of Gensai in Tokyo, he's looking for an apprentice to work in his clinic. Go there, leave all this behind. I'll take care of it."

"But.. the clinic, I have patients."

Misao waved it off. "Don't give me excuses. I was told you wanted to leave Kyoto, I'm giving you the chance. I'm not going to shut down the clinic, I'm going take it over. The Oniwabanshuu could use it's own clinic. There's a doctor up in Hokkaido, who needs a place to live and a job, I'll have him brought down..." she mumbled, losing herself in her plans.

"You mean it? Truly?" Megumi's voice was so hopeful, it touched Misao's heart.

"I'm not a fan of your personality, but you seem like a good person, just a gloomy one. I'm sure there's good things awaiting you somewhere. Go to Tokyo and find them," Misao encouraged. "Besides handling bad-guys is my job, woe is me," Misao pouted. "_Oh, I love that expression._ I have to say that more often. Waaaah! I hate not being able to sleep."

Megumi smiled reaching into her pocket. "Here."

Misao eyed the small package. "Is this dangerous? 'Cause that stuff you gave Aoshi made him hallucinate and fall over and I really don't think that's such a good idea. And I was being nice to you, too!"

Megumi's smile turned mirthful. "Never know till you try. It could be some amazing aprohdisiac that has you crawling in Aoshi's futon..."

Misao blushed, not sure what an aphrodisiac was, but getting the picture with Megumi's description."Oh! You are bad! Go! Go to bed, Takani-san."

Laughter followed Megumi as she walked back toward the Aoiya. Misao watched, noting her shoulders were much more relaxed. She sighed, Megumi would be okay. That relieved her.

"You worry too much."

She jumped, whirling around. "Ah, Aoshi! You deserve to be slapped around sometimes. Don't come up behind me like that, especially when I'm distracted in the middle of the night."

Her cheeks flushed as she recalled Megumi's words about the little paper package in her hand and she hurriedly tucked it away. Had he heard that? With her bad luck, he probably had.

"Eh, what are you doing up this late? Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head. "You're going to take over the clinic?" he asked.

"Nope. You are. It's your next assignment but it'll be a week or two before you can go. Maybe less, I'll talk to Jiya in a few hours."

Silence was her reply. He just stood there a moment before approaching closer, his form becoming more clearly defined, separating from the darkness.

"From what I've learned about the debt on the clinic it's a set amount of cold currency. I'm not too certain on the stipulations of the loan, though, all that stuff went way over my head. Problem is, Kanyruu was absolute scum so I'm sure there's more to it than a simple pay off. That's why **you're **going to settle it. Then you get the fun job of threatening Kanryuu's brother's physical parts and all that if he refuses to cooperate." She paused. "I bet you're good at that, too."

The darkness hid his amusement.

"If it works out, I'll ship down the doc from Hokkaido and we've got a clinic!" she chirped happily. "Unfortunately, this whole opium business is more likely than not to complicate things to extreme levels."

He couldn't fault her reasoning. It was a good idea. Exceptionally good. She was not as simple minded and immature as she appeared upon one's inital meetings with her.

That, he realized, was probably invaluable to her at certain times.

Aoshi sat down on the opposite end of the stone carved bench. He recognized it as a foreign piece, but didn't wonder enough to ask where they had procured it.

Misao rubbed her eyes, but didn't seem anymore tired than she had been before. After a few more minutes of silence, she stood up.

Her yukata was thin, but not transparent, and fell almost to her ankles. He wondered if the garment had belonged to another. He stood, following her inside.

"So, want to try this stuff from Takani-san?"

She held up the little package and he faltered, and declined. He didn't trust that woman at all, especially when it came to anything that didn't involve one's personal health.

She smiled and waved as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Night then."

He let her go alone and headed upstairs.

* * *

"So you're going to go?" 

Megumi turned, meeting Aoshi's cold stare. What a thing to see first hour of the morning, she thought.

"Go?" she asked.

"To Tokyo?"

Her smile surprised him. "I haven't felt so good about doing something in a long time." She looked past him toward the still quiet Aoiya. "I don't know if she'll ever know how much her doing this means to me. " She raised a hand, holding it over her heart. "I'm not sure I could put it into words if I tried."

It was barely dawn, and the Aoiya residents still slept. Megumi was never one for goodbye's. He had seen the note she left on the door.

"She's a good person, take good care of her, Aoshi."

"Aa."

He watched her go, waiting until she disappeared down, around a street before heading back inside. Never looking back, Megumi never did.

* * *

"Stupid, louzy, free-loading doctor, who does she think she is? Drink milk everyday..." she scoffed.

Aoshi watched, amused as Misao walked past him dazedly, mumbling to herself. In her hands a tall glass of milk.

"Bah!" she growled, halfway down the hall before slipping back into her office. _ "Woe is me!"_

He'd been watching Takeo and Chisato since they'd woken some time ago. Just ten minutes ago he'd ordered them to fetch firewood for the kitchen and then to start on the dishes in the back.

He stood, pushing away from the wall, heading down to Misao's office.

He wasn't sure yet how they were coming along, but he hoped with a little more pushing, they would be okay. He could sympathize with their situation, he had lost his parents young also.

He raised his hand, knocking on the wood frame of the door.

"Yeah?"

He slid open the door a peek. "Am I disturbing you?"

"You don't disturb me, Aoshi-sama, but you do occasionally make me batty," she answered without looking up

'Aoshi-sama', he thought again.

"Chisato and Takeo have been assigned chores for the kitchen."

She yawned. "Sounds okay. What brings you to my dungeon?"

"I thought you might use a break."

"Break?" she looked up.

"What's the milk for?" he asked, staring at the now empty glass.

"Ah, Takani-san's advice, but I don't think it works. Such a silly woman. Doesn't explain, however, what I'm doing drinking all this milk though, does it?"

Her eyes dropped back down to the table where a set of papers was spread out. He wondered what she was reading, but didn't dare approach close enough to read.

"Take a walk with me, Misao."

She looked up again. "A walk?"

"I haven't had time to look around Kyoto since I got here. I was told there was a temple nearby, could you show me?"

"Well, I could, but I promised Jiya I'd finish reading through these things before lunch. If I go now there's no way I'll make it."

"I'll help you with whatever you need done, if you so approve. You look like you need a few minutes of peace."

She sighed and gave in. "Okay, let's go."

She followed him out the door, yawning. He stopped her at the base of the stairs. "Will you grant me a request?"

"I'm granting you a walk," she replied sounding indignant and frowning, but not looking severly disturbed.

"Another request."

"What?" she asked, sounding resigned. Already, he knew she'd agree.

"Change into a plain yukata. Your attire is not suitable to visit a temple."

She dropped her eyes to his clothes. He could almost feel her eyes slide down the parted cloth revealing an expanse of his chest beneath.

She didn't question, probably only because a delicate blush had tinted her cheeks at his watching the path of her eyes.

When she was up the stairs he turned.

Now...

Where was Okina?

He found the man in a small side room, a book spread over a table.

"Can I help you, Aoshi?"

"You wish to speak to Misao about reports she's looking over at lunch?"

Okina looked up. "That is correct. Why do you ask?"

"Could it wait until this evening?"

Okina stared. "Why?"

"I wish to teach Misao how to meditate at the Temple."

A howl of laughter was Okina's reply. "Meditiate. Oh, that's good."

The old man stood up, snapping the book closed. He walked over to the shelf beside Aoshi, and elbowed him in the ribs. "Medidtate, eh?" He grinned lecherously.

"There is nothing impure about my intentions."

Okina's amusement faded. "I have no doubts about you, Aoshi. Misao is notoriously fidgety, never has liked meditation, always hated it when she was younger. But maybe she needs a new teacher."

Aoshi nodded. "Thank you."  
_  
"What are-_" Her voice just barely registered in his ears before Okina caught sight of her.

"Ah, there's my pretty Misao!" Okina swept his arms around Misao crushing her to him. "My sweet little girl, all grown up. Now, now, Misao, no naughty stuff in the Temple. It's God's house."

She shoved him away, glaring. "Jiya!"

He just laughed. "On your way could you grab me something sweet? I've been itching for a cake all day and Omasu served it all to the customers."

"No problem, I'll grab some on the way home. Is there anything else I can bring back for you?" Misao asked, standing by the door. Aoshi was a step away, she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

Okina grinned. "Grandchildren!"

Misao blushed. " Jiya!"

* * *

It wasn't uncomfortable at all, the white yukata she was wearing. Her bright red obi cheered her up a bit though, she always liked the color. She didn't wear yukata's much. To her they were something you wore after a bath and something you wore to bed, not something to walk around in. 

She felt much the same about kimono's, but only because she wasn't as adept in moving in them as Omasu and Okon.

They had assured her, however, that if she practiced she'd be as good at them as they were. She'd shrugged it off.

She didn't have time for such practice. She barely had a life at all. She rolled her eyes at the notion.

"Misao?"

She looked up, realizing she hadn't said a word to Aoshi the whole time they'd been walking. She'd simply followed the path, and... She stopped. She was going in the wrong direction!

She growled silently, grabbed Aoshi's sleeve and started off in the correct direction.

She waved a hand at him dismissively. "Sorry, not thinking today."

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

She made a non-commital sound. "Nothing more than usual I guess. It's boring sitting through mission reports. How do you even begin to fake an interest in the newest precautions against disease and foreign medical advances. I know they're important, but... It's just all words to me. I don't really understand any of it."

"Can I help?"

She glanced up. "Can you help? I guess so," she replied skeptically. All too quickly she pointed. "There's the Temple."

She pointed, extending her arm toward the building. He followed her direction obligingly and walked ahead of her up the stairs toward it.

It was dim and practically empty inside. Misao stepped in after him, staring at his back as he looked around the darkened interior of the small building.

"What do you think?" she asked.

He sat, calmly, folding himself down onto the floor, motioning for her to do the same. She supposed that was his approval of the place. She groaned, but did as he asked, sitting down beside him.

"This is going to be boring, isn't it?"

She didn't see Aoshi's reaction. She didn't need to, he didn't bother giving her one. She kept her eyes ahead of her, straightening her back, folding her legs neatly beneath her in a womanly fashion.

This was the worst. She wasn't going to be able to concentrate. She couldn't do it when she was alone and she knew she wasn't going to be able to do it with him sitting right next to her. They were sitting too close, she thought.

She could feel the cloth of his yukata at her elbow. Maybe she should move away a bit? Would he be insulted if she did?

She sighed, lowering her head, eyes fluttering closed. There was less than five minutes of silence before she straightened up.

"Why am I meditating?" she asked, exasperated, already tired of it.

"It can be invaluable for relieving stress."

She accepted this reasoning, something she'd heard before. So, Aoshi thought she was stressed. Fine, she thought, and resumed her position for several more minutes.

"I don't think this kind of stress relief. I like hitting things. And massive destruction, I also like that."

She watched his eyes open, and then his head turned so he could peer down at her.

He didn't immediately reply, just staring and she squirmed under the intensity of his stare.

"Try it for a little while longer," he encouraged.

"How much longer?" she whined, looking and sounding very childish, and not caring.

There might have been a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Just a while longer," he replied vaguely.

She twisted her expression unhappily, but closed her eyes, lowering her head.

Aoshi found meditating with Misao beside him to be impossible. Although he had claimed to want to be here expressly for that purpose, he now realized the futility of the idea. _No one_ could meditate with her around.

Just as well though, he supposed, watching her shift, an arm raising to itch her elbow. She wasn't still a moment longer before her hands rose to her braid, fiddling with the clump of hair beneath the gold pendant at the end.

"You meditate in such an interesting way."

Her eyes flew open and she turned defensive. "You do it your way, I'll do it mine!"

She looked away defiantly, but knew nothing would get done. She'd rather be back at the Aoiya reading reports before she'd subject herself to boring "self" time at the temple.

Blah!

Whoever thought this up wasn't her kind of person.

She sighed and stood. "Figures you'd like this boring kind of stuff, but I can't do it. I'll catch you later."

She turned to go, leaving him alone there. She didn't look back to see him watch her, or even to see if he intended to follow. She didn't expect he would. After all, he wanted to meditate didn't he? Clear his head and all that silly nonsense?

She walked back to the Aoiya alone, not bothering to change her clothes when she arrived, heading back to her office.

Only to stop abruptly once inside. She'd forgotten Okina's cake! With a hefty sigh she turned back around and headed out the door. The streets were buzzing with activity, she watched the a few ladies pass in elaborate western dress. It never ceased to amaze her, the foreign fashions. There was so much material... and the odd shape.

But, she determined, it was pretty. They were so shapely and feminine. Sometimes it made her quite jealous. She didn't have the kind of figure for a dress like that...

She hadn't realized she'd come to a stop until she felt a hand press down on her shoulder. She turned back, startled, only to find icy blue eyes staring down at her.

Aoshi.

Funny how he showed up all the time, wasn't it?

He didn't say anything, he just stepped past her, a hand surrepticiously slipping around her waist to tug her along, and so she just went.

* * *

End Chapter Nine. 


	10. Part 10

**Being Okashira**

_Part Ten:_

**

* * *

**

Aoshi stepped into the kitchen quietly. The others paid little mind to him as they scurried around, preparing orders.

He peered around, here and there, for a few minutes before turning to one of the women.

"I need a glass."

Okon plucked one from a nearby cabinet and handed it to him. He took it and stared at the empty container. Now he needed milk.

He turned toward the two men cooking, causing them both to stop and look at him. Aoshi held up the empty glass.

"I need milk."

They seemed to collectively blink before pointing to a cabinet on the other side of the room. Aoshi moved toward it, pulling it open. Within, he found his treasured milk. He quickly filled the glass and left, thanking them briefly.

"What was that?" Kuro asked.

Shiro shrugged. "For Misao, maybe? Did you know Aoshi drank milk?"

Kuro shrugged and they returned to work.

* * *

Aoshi knocked, entering only when he heard the muffled call of permission. He found Misao, not at her desk, but laid out on her stomach on the floor. Her legs were bent, swinging back and forth, elbows propped up, as she looked over a set of papers. She craned around to see him, motioning him inside.

He pulled the door closed, his eyes running up her bare, slim legs. A big pinkish colored bow was located above her narrow little hips. His eyes followed the curve of her spine up to her shoulders where that long corded braid once again got his attention.

"Working still?" he asked, his eyes still staring at the length of hair down her back.

"Mmm hmmm…" she agreed, already back to reading. "Did you want something?"

"I brought you this." He drew his attention away from her hair.

He sat down the glass where she could reach it and where she wouldn't knock it over with a stray elbow. She glanced at the milk skeptically.

"Um…" She stared at the glass. "Thank you."

"If I may so ask, what is the milk for?"

Her response was sudden. She seemed to tense completely, face flushing softly. "Ah, Aoshi-sama, don't ask embarrassing questions."

Embarrassing? He wondered exactly what Megumi had told her milk would do. Although, thinking back to one of their earliest conversations and Misao's… insecurities, he didn't wonder if Megumi had suggested she drink it to improve her figure. He'd heard such tales about milk before, although he wasn't certain whether or not he agreed with such thoughts.

Of course, he thought, those kinds of fears didn't go away overnight.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked.

Her shoulders seem to lower slightly, and she sighed heavily as though resigning herself to something. With some fumbling, she sat up, crossing her legs. She motioned for him to sit and he took a place beside her, placing a reasonable distance between them.

She pointed toward the paper. "It's the contract for the Natsume Clinic. The settling price is higher than I thought and the stipulations are sticky."

He glanced down at the papers, skimming over them and frowned. A small fortune rested on the building, he thought. Could they afford this much? He didn't know the finer workings of the Oniwanbanshuu financing operations, although he'd heard several times about a loan business they had up north. He'd often wondered if such a thing were profitable.

"So, that means it will be less of a money deal and more of _you'll-do-what-I tell-you-or-I'll-kick-your-ass_ kind of deal."

Aoshi raised an eyebrow.

"We already cover more than half of the expenses for the clinic, that's how I got Takani-san here in the first place. I can, despite not owning it, close down the Natsume clinic for short periods. I usually only do so to bully around Takani though."

"The contract states, the owner has the right to terminate the clinic at any time it ceases to be profitable. That means, to Kanryuu, when the opium stopped being made, the clinic went under. How much money does the clinic make?" he asked.

She scoffed. "None, it barely stays open as it is. That's how it was possible for me to take over a controlling interest in the clinic, by covering her necessary expenses. She wouldn't dare jeopardize her patients so she had no choice but to accept my help and my conditions."

He nodded. "I see. Arrange for the doctor from Hokkaido to come immediately."

"I've already done that," she replied, looking smug.

"Then all that remains is convincing Kanryuu's brother-in-law, that selling the clinic is in his best interest."

Misao nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"I assume you still want me to handle it?"

She shrugged, waving off the question. "Handle it however you want, I don't care. Just get it done."

"Aa."

He folded the paper, tucking it into his interior shirt pocket.

"Is there anything else I can help with?"

"That depends," she replied, looking over at him intensely.

He waited for her to tell him what it depended on, but she remained silent, just staring.

"On?" he finally asked, seeing as she wasn't going to answer at all.

She blinked and stood quickly. "I just changed my mind."

What? He watched as she walked around the desk.

"Oh, I'm brilliant!" she cheered, reaching for a piece of writing charcoal from the desk. She'd seen them for sale as some kind of art thing, but had decided they suited much better to convenient desk ware. Using brush and ink were so tedious and time consuming.

And staring at the black smudges on her writing hand, it was also messy.

She scribbled something quickly on a sheet of paper and looked up at him.

"I'm going to Tokyo," she declared. "Hannya and I will leave tomorrow morning. While I'm gone you'll handle the Natsume Clinic, Kanryuu's brother, Takeo and Chisato, and the Aoiya." She beamed at him and headed for the door. "Tomorrow morning," she chirped.

* * *

"You mean you don't approve! What kind of support is that?"

Okina frowned. "Misao, please calm yourself. I think it's a good idea up to the visiting Himura part. You don't need to be in contact with such a dangerous man."

"Don't be silly, Jiya. Aoshi said he had sworn never to kill again, besides, I'm not an enemy of his," she pouted.

He sighed. "I don't like this, not one bit, but fine. Go ahead, it's not like you'll listen to me. And since you aren't trying to go alone, I suppose everything will be okay."

She smiled. "Tomorrow morning. I'll leave by train, Hannya already said he'd come. So... I guess this is it."

"What are you going to do when you reach Tokyo?"

"I'll head to the Kamiya dojo. Kaoru knows lots of people I'm sure she can help."

Misao perked up at her own idea. This was good for several reasons. She would get to see how Aoshi multi-tasked, an absolute for being the Okashira, she'd get the Kanryuu business settled, she'd get a trip to Tokyo, and she'd get to see Kaoru!

Most importantly, she'd get to see the man Himura Kenshin, that had been Aoshi's downfall. Tracking down and speaking to this man would prove invaluable for understanding the kind of person Aoshi once and perhaps still was lurking underneath that still mask.

She silently cheered herself for being a genius.

* * *

As Aoshi stood on the train platform watching Misao smile at Hannya, he wondered how he'd come to be at this point in life. It seemed like not so long ago he'd been on the bottom rung of the Oniwabanshuu ladder, a breath from disgrace.

Not so long ago he'd been battered and bruised, ego and body pursuing vain attempts at grandeur. Not so long ago he'd been wandering around completing mission after mission for direct superiors with no ultimate goal in mind. Not so long ago...

He silently sighed.

Not so long ago he'd been pushed towards the Aoiya by his last commander.

The world was just full of troublesome idiots, wasn't it?

So here he was, staring at a train about to watch his newest leader leaving him alone and in charge. He wondered then, what was he doing this for?

Why?

Why was he bothering with all this?

With the actions he'd taken in the past he had gone back and forth wondering whether or not he'd truly deserved some of the good opportunities he'd had.

The "Okashira" position was one of honor and prestige and besides his non-exemplary record he hadn't done anything to warrant **this **opportunity.

Misao was really too sweet a girl to be trusted into his care. Her view of life was too soft, too naive.

He was soiled.

He was like a wet, muddy dog shaking off in the middle of a clean, dry room, mudding everyone.

So why?

Why was he doing this?

Why hadn't he gone away from here? Why hadn't he refused the invite to the Aoiya? Why had he involved himself so deeply here?

His faraway gaze abruptly focused when he noted someone waving out a window. Misao was beaming, Hannya at her side. She waved at him and he felt his doubts becoming even denser.

Why her?

Why did her notion of "Oniwabanshuu" and "family" and "trust" enrapture him so? Why did he so vainly want to be a part of that exclusive group belonging to Misao.

He raised a hand to half wave back at her as the train started and moved away. Okina, who had been beside him one moment was now gone. He glanced around to find the old man chasing a group of young girls down toward the stairs. He watched the old man disappear down the street, following after the girls.

The Aoiya ninjas were Misao's family. In that sense, he could understand her protectiveness of it all.

He turned to go, walking slowly, ignoring the stares he occasionally got tossed in his direction.

He had never had a family in any sense. His parents were both killed when he was young. Being orphaned with no one to take him in he'd wandered.

One evening when he was young, he was caught sleeping under the veranda of an empty house. Face to face with a handful of masked men he'd panicked, and tried to bolt.

"Hey! Aoshi!"

He glanced up. Okina stood several feet ahead, smiling brightly.

"Let's have tea."

Puzzled by the look on the man's face and disturbed at his own trip down memory lane, he followed Okina without protest.

Aoshi regarded the old man with an expression bordering on blank but tilting just slightly toward displeasure. The elderly gentleman was almost dancing in his seat as he sat across from him, winking and smiling at all the pretty girls.

How did Misao put up with this?

"Did you want something?" Aoshi asked.

He was beginning to think Okina had asked him to tea to lure young girls close to them. Okina's grin widened.

No, he was definitively convinced of that, he thought, ignoring yet another blushing, staring young girl.

"I have other things to be doing," Aoshi replied, feeling the shorter side of his temper creeping close.

Okina straightened. "Young people simply aren't any fun anymore." The older man pouted, sipping his tea. "Misao has gone to Tokyo to visit a young friend of hers, Kamiya Kaoru."

"Kamiya Kaoru?" Aoshi questioned, interrupting. "The owner of the Kamiya Dojo?"

"Mmmnh. Do you know of her?"

Aoshi looked away. "We've met."

"Himura Battousai is currently living with her, is he not?"

Their eyes met sharply. "Aa."

"Misao has gone to Tokyo to search for this man. I did not object very strongly because I have heard many things about Himura. Tell me, what kind of man is he these days?"

Okina's attention remained firmly fastened on Aoshi as he waited for an answer. The younger man sat back a bit.

"He is repenting of his war crimes by taking up his sword in defense of the weak. He's sworn never to kill again. He's no threat to Misao's safety."

Okina nodded succinctly. "I see."

* * *

Misao jumped, hopping on one foot. "Let's go, Hannya!" she called impatiently.

The man made some grumbling sound of disagreement, but moved along behind her. He followed her, noticeably, as far as the Kamiya gate at which point, when she looked back, he was out of sight.

She frowned but didn't bother trying to figure out where he'd concealed himself. Most times, outside of Kyoto - the few times there were-, Hannya would not travel so openly with her inside of cities. He had received many a strange look, although he claimed such did not bother him, she wasn't completely sure.

He wouldn't, she was certain, step foot inside the Kamiya dojo under invite. He may, from time to time sneak in a window to check on her or generally creep around, but he wouldn't eat or reside there. Hannya was strange about other people's houses. He preferred to be outside unless it was the Aoiya or an inn.

She rapped on the door, smiling brightly as she waited for someone to answer. After an extended wait, someone finally did.

She found herself face to face with a strange red-haired man and an odd cross shaped scar on his face.

He greeted her cheerily asking if he could help her.

Misao stared at him hard, scrutinizing him. "Impossible!" she declared. "There's no freaking way! You're not really the guy Aoshi lost too, are you? But that mark - it can't be coincidence." She paused, looking away. "Unless I'm really lucky or something. Maybe I should gamble...?"

"Um... Miss?"

She turned back. "Who are you?" she asked pointedly, hands on her hips almost accusingly as she leaned forward. "Name and occupation, mister!"

"Oro?"

"Oro? What the hell does that mean? Hop to it!"

"_What is going on out here?" _

Misao peered around the strange man. "Kaoru!"

She darted past the bewildered guy, dropping her sac at his feet, throwing her arms around the young woman who had appeared behind him.

"Hey, Misao!" Kaoru smiled, chirping in response to seeing her younger friend.

The two females exchanged pleasantries while the man watched curiously. After several minutes of blatantly ignoring him, Kaoru, clutching Misao's hand, turned back to him.

"This is Makimachi Misao, from Kyoto. Misao, this is Himura Kenshin, he's a house-guest here."

Misao shot him a withering look. "Another freeloader?"

Kaoru laughed. "Actually, he's more like my live-in maid."

The two women shared a chuckle, leaving Kenshin to carry in Misao's forgotten bag.

They chatted about everything from western styled jewelry to the weather while Kenshin tottered around in the kitchen. When he finally did sit with them over a steaming meal, he was still smiling pleasantly.

"So, Misao-dono, you are from Kyoto?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I live at the Aoiya, ever heard of it?"

He nodded in reply. "That I have."

"You know Aoshi, don't you?" she asked directly, sipping her soup.

He paused, staring at her. "Shinomori Aoshi?"

"He told me he fought you twice and both times you refused to kill him. How much do you know about Aoshi?"

His pleasant face returned. "Do you mean about his ninja connections? There is someone with you, is there not?"

Her tension faded. "Huh? Oh, he's around somewhere. Anyway, this is good," she proclaimed, sitting up straighter. "I came all the way here just to talk to you."

As Kaoru shot her an indigent look, Misao corrected. "Well I came to see you too."

Kaoru looked away and Misao continued.

"So, tell me. What kind of person is Aoshi?"

"Oro?"

"You know... What kind of person is he? Aoshi is being considered to take over as our group leader. "

He blinked, clearly surprised. "You seem like a good, warm person, Miss Misao, that you do. Be patient and warm and welcoming to Aoshi and I'm sure he'll open up some. I think, all he needs, is somewhere to feel welcomed."

She just stared.

"Oro?"

"You always talk like that?"

Kaoru giggled, waving the matter aside. "Doesn't he cook amazingly though?"

Misao turned back and nodded in agreement. "Better than me," she admitted glumly.

Aoshi stared, watching the two children as they ran up to him. They went back and forth between being cheerful and being gloomy.

* * *

"When is Misao-sama coming back?"

"Soon," Aoshi promised. "Go and help in the kitchen then wash up when your duties are over."

"Yes, Aoshi-sama," they chirped in unison and trotted off.

He watched them head over toward the building and sighed. Misao had been gone barely two days and the place felt dead. Despite the fact she seemed to spend most of her time locked up in that corner office, everyone seemed to have a certain bounce in their step when she was around.

When they weren't, feet seemed to drag.

How long was the girl going to be gone? Couldn't she come back already? He cursed his own impatience as he headed for somewhere quiet to sit. Maybe he should head down to the Temple for some thoughtful meditation time.

Passing by, he spotted Okina seated at the table reading a paper.

"Okina..." he called.

"Hmm?" the old man replied without looking up.

"Are there any books about?"

"Misao's office," he replied. "She has a shelf of them in there you will probably find interesting. I don't think she'll mind."

He headed back in the other direction, pausing outside her door.

_Her _door.

The plain wood door wasn't painted and held no decorations. Just plain. But somehow the very fact he knew it was _hers_, made him hesitate. Was it appropriate for him to invade what was still, at this moment, her personal space?

He slid the door open and stepped inside, closing it promptly behind him. It was exactly as it had been before she left. Spotless and neat. On the back wall was a thin strip of paper and a line of text running down it. Was that new? He couldn't' recall noticing it before.

He moved forward.

_"Fall seven times, stand up eight."_

How suitable for Misao it seemed, the epitome of determination. He glanced at the desk, noting everything was stacked neatly in its own proper place. How did she maintain such a clean work area when she seemed, at times, like such a wind storm?

He turned away looking for the shelf, finding it on the other side of the room, stacked from top to bottom with books. There were even books on top laying on their backs one on top of another three or four high.

He would never have guessed from the look of her she was such a reader.

He reached for the book on top, but it slipped and hit the floor. From the pages several thin slips of paper drifted out, feathering themselves down to the floor.

He reached for the sheet, scanning the page, curious. Was it a book mark?

_"Being the Okashira is such a difficult job - I can't go outside anymore. He barely lets me out of this stupid room to eat and I swear if I have to hear him tell me to keep this room clean one more time I'll scream."_

He blinked.

Was this ... a ... diary?

_"Why do I even have to do this? I don't **want **to be responsible for everyone else." _

He glanced at the page, noting the date at the top from several months previous.

So... Okina had made her take this position then? That was interesting. It made more sense to them then, if she hadn't wanted it, to be rather willing to give it up. He hadn't seen much reluctance on her part to hold onto it, other than the fact she wasn't sure she trusted him.

It, consequently, also explained why she kept this room so clean. If he constantly bugged her about it she had probably adopted the habit to keep him from scolding her.

He could've smiled at the thought.

Imagining her stacking books on this shelf while muttering angry curses at the old man, ready to throw a couple at his head seemed entirely possible.

Beyond possible even.

He tucked the paper back into the book noting there was no text upon its cover. Peering inside, he found more than half the pages blank.

Inside, the first title paged read only "Makimachi - Misao."

It _was _a journal then. He picked up the other pages, stacking them together, unable to keep from glancing at the top page.

_"Totally unfair. Jiya took down my kitty calendar! He said it was inappropriate for the Okashira's office. I'm going to kill him, seriously this time! Stop messing with my stuff!"_

Training Misao must have been difficult, he thought, tucking the papers into the book. She must have matured a great deal since taking over in place of the former Okashira.

He sat the book up on the shelf and kneeled down, looking at the titles.

The contents thereof surprised him. Misao, it seemed, had something of an interest in medical books. There were books on everything from bandaging to medical herbs.

A lot of herbs, he corrected. He flipped it open. He read a small snippet about the ancient belief of magical properties held by mint before he snapped it closed and replaced it a moment later.

Behind him, he heard the quiet slide of the door and turned halfway to view his visitor.

"Ah, you found it," Okina smiled. "Interesting selection of books, isn't it? Since Misao became the Okashira several members have died or become seriously ill. After the first, she became extremely distraught. Up to that point she hadn't taken her job very seriously. Now she seems to worry if she is anything but _too serious _when it comes to work, more people will die.

"That's why she's so quick to hand off the mission details to me. She's afraid of doing something wrong and causing someone to be hurt."

Aoshi nodded.

The man smiled. "In any case, I brought this. We had just about all the information we could have on Kanryuu, but we spent little time on his relatives.

"We do not believe, at this time, Kanryuu's brother-in-law, knows about Kanryuu's involvement with opium. His name is Sadojima Houji. I brought the report for you. When Misao arrives be sure to discuss the matter with her."

Aoshi took the papers without comment. Okina was at the door before Aoshi thought of something else.

"That paper there - on the wall. Is that hers?"

Okina turned back and Aoshi pointed toward the single strip of paper behind her desk tacked up on the wall.

Okina nodded. "Saitou Hajime told her she was probably harder to get rid of than a tick. When she found that saying in a book she put it up there on the wall. She told me it reminded her of him."

* * *

"Oh, come on, Kaoru! Don't be so un-fun!"

"Misao, I have work to do today. You'll just have to entertain yourself," Kaoru replied.

"What work? Himura does all the work around this shack!"

Kaoru stopped in her tracks. "Did you just call my dojo a shack?"

Misao put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue. "So what if I did?"

Kaoru growled and charged, waving her bokken. Misao just ran, laughing. The two females shoved past two equally stunned males at the doorway and one smiling Kenshin kneeling beside a wash bin.

It seemed like an ordinary day around the dojo.

Misao panted, Kaoru was several feet away doing the same, her bokken having been dropped along the way. Misao fell back into the grass, staring up at the sky.

"I think I'm going home now."

Kaoru sat up. "So soon?"

"I have work to do; it isn't fair for me to stay away so long. Besides, I have information to gather on Aoshi still," Misao grinned. "Omasu and Okon are watching him for me."

Misao cackled.

"This guy, Shinomori, the one who came here to fight Kenshin..." Kaoru paused. "Is he really... I mean, when I last saw him, his eyes were so dark. Has he really changed?"

Misao's eyes flickered toward the woman. "That's what I came here trying to figure out. Himura says so, so it must be true, right?"

Kaoru didn't reply and Misao stood.

"You're leaving right now? This second?" Kaoru asked, also pulling herself up.

"Yeah. I don't like sitting around and there's nothing for me to do here and my work is done. So I might as well go."

Kaoru brought a hand up to her face, but not close enough to cover her smirk. "Oh? Maybe you have a secret crush on this Shinomori guy? He _was_ rather good-looking, wasn't he?"

Misao stopped cold. "Eh? What do you mean 'rather good looking'? Isn't your main-squeeze supposed to be that girly-man Himura?"

Kaoru's smirk vanished. "Girly-man?" she managed a miraculous find of her bokken and set off chasing Misao once again, the younger girl laughing her head off.

"Hannya! The Okashira is in danger - save her! Wahhhh!"

The mask-clad guardian watching in the treetop was not amused.

It took more than two hours to settle both females down enough to actually prepare for leaving. By the time Misao was ready to head out, the sun was already setting.

"Won't you wait until tomorrow morning, Misao-dono?"

She smiled at him and shook her head. "Nah, I wanna go home. Besides, what street thug could dream of taking out a beautiful ninja like me?"

Kenshin sweat-dropped and said nothing. "Always better to be safe than sorry, that it is, Misao-dono."

She shook off the suggestion. "Nope. Thanks for letting me stay; I'm sorry I showed up without warning."

Kaoru smiled. "That's fine. It was nice to have company for a while."

"I'd invite you to the Aoiya, but it's probably not a good idea right now. When the chaos settles maybe we can have a party or something." Misao paused glancing back and Hannya leapt down from the tree.

"Are you ready?" her guardian asked.

The girl nodded in response to the query and they walked out the gate.

"Thanks, see you guys!" Misao waved, until she and her companion vanished into the emerging shadows.

* * *

"That guy, Aoshi, I like him." 

Okina looked up, but Misao was facing away, leaning against the shoji doorframe, staring out over his garden. The sun was setting in the background casting orange and pink hues across the sky.

She had returned home just a short time ago. The several day return trip she and Hannya had taken had passed with no incident, the same way all of their traveling went.

In complete, utter tedium.

She'd been told Aoshi was out at the temple... meditating. She couldn't imagine why he subjected himself to such boring torture.

"I mean," she added. "I could accept him as the Okashira. He seems so easy to depend on, like... Nothing could surprise him. He would always know what to do. But..."

She turned back to him, face full of uncertainty.

"What if it's a burden to him?"

Okina's smile widened. "You look so little standing there like that. Reminds me of when you were knee high asking me about teaching you to be a ninja."

She didn't smile, clearly unhappy at the memory and his changing the subject.

"You needn't worry over such things. Aoshi is ten years older than you - he has more experience. That he would be able to handle situations you cannot is to be expected. That's why I brought him here."

She sighed and sank down to the floor.

"Yeah..."

A curt knock on the far door had both perking up.

"Yes?" Okina drawled.

The door slid open a quarter panel length. "Okashira, Aoshi has returned from the Temple." She could barely see the ninja kneeling with his head toward the floor on the other side.

Misao stood. "Oh, that's good. Where is he?"

"Your office."

She nodded, pushing the door open, past the nameless foot soldier. She thought, as she walked to her office, she couldn't remember who that young guy back there was.

She shrugged it off as she stepped into her office.

Within, she found Aoshi standing by her window. Did he know she was back?

"Hello," she smiled. "How are things?"

He nodded. "The report on the Natsume Clinic has been gathered."

"Oh?" she sat down at the desk. "Did you go over it already?"

"Aa."

"Good - save me the trouble of reading. Just tell me what it says."

He paused. "How was your trip?"

She blinked and then shrugged. "Wasn't bad, wasn't great."

The last thing of current interest to him was petty Sadojima Houji, and the Natsume Clinic affair.

He was much more interested in her opinion of Himura Kenshin and his 'no-killing' outlook on life.

"Did you meet Himura Kenshin?"

He was sure she had. She'd gone to Tokyo to stay with Kamiya Kaoru, amazing coincidence that that was. Consequently, Himura Kenshin _lived _with _that _woman. Their meeting was inevitable.

"Yeah, he was there," she replied, rather evasively, he thought.

"What did you think of him?" he pressed, seeing as she wasn't volunteering answers to his deep seated, unspoken questions _before_ he spoke them.

She sighed and shrugged and sat back in her chair. "I don't know. For him, and his life all that non-killing stuff, I guess, it sounds okay. Here, it would never work."

No, he hadn't wondered what she thought of it as a _policy._

"I mean, what do you think of how he lives?"

"Isn't that the same question?" she asked, exasperated, looking miffed at having to answer it twice. "I think it's good. I've seen people die, I've seen people kill other people - there's nothing good about that. Living so that you try to prevent that - it's nice. It's seems strange and unrealistic, but nice."

She had seen people die? Okina had let her see _that?_

He wondered then what the circumstances she'd seen the aforementioned 'deaths'. Her answer was short tempered, and rushed as though the topic disturbed her and she wanted him off it.

She snapped her fingers. "Report. Do you have it?"

He leaned forward, the papers sliding from his hand onto the desk surface. He pressed his fingertips down on it, holding it to the desk, preventing her from taking it.

"Have _you _ever killed anyone?"

She turned her eyes up to his instead of to the report she'd been trying to snag from under his fingers. Her half-hearted pulling on the papers stopped.

"Not on purpose, but because of me..." she trailed off not wanting to go further and he decided not to press.

He lifted his fingers allowing her to take the papers and he sat down across from her.

"Sadojima Houji is Kanryuu's brother in law and currently proprietor of the Natsume Clinic. We've managed to locate him. I was waiting until you returned to go meet with him."

She flipped open the papers and groaned at all the text. "Torture... Torture..." she mumbled. "Do you think he'll agree?"

"... It's possible."

She crumpled the papers down. "No. No! What was that pause right there? That '... it's possible', thing you just did." She threw her arms up. "Yes or no question."

"Ever heard the expression 'shades of gray'?"

She made a ghastly face. "Oh no! Don't you start with that black and white and all the stuff in between stuff! I don't like thinking like that anyway. Yes or no, black or white - nothing else."

"Very likely not."

She frowned. "That is not a- Never mind that. Fine, go talk to him. Give him a good dosage of bad-personality Aoshi and change his mind." She paused before leaping up from her chair, pumping her fist. "And if he still doesn't agree, beat him into submission! Ah ha!"

She laughed, something a kin to an evil cackle and he felt himself smirking. He stood also, and then leaned forward, sliding his fingertips against her cheek. Her maniacal expression vanished.

"Huh?"

Misao jumped as the door slid open abruptly. Aoshi ignored it.

_"Oh, ho, ho! Am I interrupting?" _

Aoshi slide his fingers down her cheek to her jaw before drawing his hand back. He walked to the door without a word before he turned back.

"I'll be leaving now."

The girl nodded numbly, blushing. Okina was silently laughing.

Aoshi stepped out and the door was pulled closed behind him.

Not halfway down the hall he heard her again.

"JIYA! SHUT UP!"

He grinned.

* * *

End Chapter Ten. 

AN: Okay, completely caught up. This chapter was a new addition to the story. I didn't post them all at once because I hate Quick Edit provided by and going through looking at it inserting my dividers.


	11. Part 11

**Being Okashira**

_Part Eleven_

**

* * *

**

Watching Aoshi leave from an upstairs window, Okina suddenly had doubts. While it was, no doubt, best for the Oniwabanshuu to relieve Misao of her position, he was not sure that Aoshi was best for Misao.

The intensity of the man's stare had caused him to wonder, earlier, whether or not he was pushing on Misao something she wasn't ready for.

Aoshi wasn't the flirtatious, harmless Kamatari, or the sweet, but shy Soujiro. Aoshi was much older, a man of the world - a man with expectations and desires and probably very little restraint about acting on them. A proper man would have proper expectations of his wife, as Misao would be.

Okina stepped away from the window, trying to cease his worrying.

Dealing with Misao was Aoshi's problem and their intimacies were none of his business. Misao was plenty old enough to be married and handle her own husband.

Still...

He was probably making too much of it, he thought. Maybe he was just an old man clinging to the image of his little girl and not wanting her to grow up.

* * *

Previous to his placement at the Aoiya, traveling had been Aoshi's favorite part of any mission. It required little communication with whatever possible traveling companions, long stretches of silence, and good exercise.

Three things he liked in abundance.

However, not half a day after he'd started out toward the next city over where he'd meet Houji's go-between he was missing the place. The Aoiya, specifically.

Or, in total honesty with himself, he was missing Misao.

It wasn't, he told himself, an emotional attachment to her as much as the fact that Misao made him feel "included". It was a feeling that for many years had avoided him.

Unlike with others he'd worked with over his lifetime, he'd never felt as "needed" as he did with Misao. As though there were a true purpose for his being around. All of his team mates and commanders previously had been fairly independent and not requiring the same kind of vigil he felt Misao warranted. But, nor had they been women.

Regardless of Misao's own warrior prowess, she simply did not give off the impression, to him, that she should be allowed to be without protection. There was so much harm that could come to her in the world.

He had, for the last couple of days, fumbled over whether or not he was happy about having gotten involved in the Aoiya, but he was now certain it was one of the most beneficial things to have happened to him.

As the distance between himself and the Aoiya, specifically Misao, lengthened, he felt the need to move more quickly.

The room was bright enough to accommodate the meeting, but not sunlit. The single window on the left side had been covered over with material and two guards stood outside of the window and two more by the door.

Candles one on each side of the desk illuminated the dusty little room faintly.

"Shinomori-san, how can I help you?" The man was seated at a small western style desk. There was no other chair in the room, Aoshi was forced to stand.

It was with great surprise that Aoshi had found not a go-between at all, but Houji himself at the meeting house.

"My employer wishes to purchase the Natsume Clinic that is currently in your possession."

"The Natsume Clinic? Whatever for? It was my understanding that run down place hardly makes a profit."

"It doesn't," Aoshi replied. "But my employer lives in the area and would like to see the residents better served. It's a personal interest."

Houji had an odd forehead with hair slicked back and rather long on either side. He was groomed well and dressed in western clothes, but his eyes were cold and almost held a beady quality to them. They reminded Aoshi distinctly of the eyes of rats.

It worried him that this man should call to mind the picture of rodents and he wished he were at the Aoiya to make sure Misao was safe instead of here.

"My brother in law was quite fond of the medicinal field, so I have no interests in selling it. There's always the chance for new breakthroughs and profits to be made in medicine."

Aoshi half-turned toward the door. "Are you presently aware there is no doctor at the Natsume Clinic?"

Houji shot to his feet like a snake had bitten his behind. "What? What of Takani Megumi?"

"She has relocated to a place more suited to her circumstances."

Aoshi watched Houji grate his teeth in anger before the man himself stood and flounced out the door angrily. Houji's guard's followed, casting Aoshi derisive looks which were patently ignored.

Once alone, he walked around the other side of the desk and rifled through the drawers. He found a suitable scrap of paper, but no ink. Just as he was giving up hope of finding something to write with, he located a near empty inkwell in a bottom drawer.

With half-colored strokes he managed to scrawl a message at least readable enough to send back to Misao.

Heading out, he moved directly to town to locate one of the Oniwabanshuu's pigeon carriers.

* * *

"Call Aoshi back to the Aoiya."

Okina looked up.

"Now," she clarified, turning her back to him, two messages in hand.

Okina stood, about to inquire, but the straight line of her back caused him to back off.

She was upset. Since Misao had become Okashira the way she dealt with her feelings had changed. He'd discovered she internalized far too much, but had been unable to draw out of her the problem until she worked through it, at least partially, on her own.

It was best just to call for Aoshi to return and see what would happen.

She didn't want to call him. She didn't want him to come back, not yet. She wasn't ready for him to come back. But she didn't have any choice. It had been almost a week since Aoshi had left.

She didn't want to do what she was about to do, but did she have any choice? Any at all?

She sighed and leaned her forehead against the glass. It was rainy. Her breath fogged the glass a little.

It was an inevitability, wasn't it? Losing to Aoshi?

Most of the time she hated having so much power, with people always looking to her. Sometimes though...Sometimes she enjoyed saying "go away" and then they did. Sometimes having people listen to her without question was something she enjoyed. Anyone would.

Still, it didn't really explain this uneasiness, did it?

Ever since she'd gotten the note from Aoshi, the words etched in her mind.

_"Takani is in danger - warn her." _

Herapprehension had then tripled and settled over her shoulders. The first thought she'd had was of him.

Of wanting him here.

Of wanting to see him, how he would react, what would he do?

What would he do?

_"Warn her..." _

Obviously. She'd scrawled a note and was about to send it to Tokyo, but then she'd gotten _this._ A letter from Tokyo.

From Kaoru.

_"I'm sorry to be bringing bad news to you, Misao-chan. Recently, a new lady appeared at Gensai-sensei's clinic by the name of Takani Megumi. She mentioned she knew you - which is why I'm writing to you. Several days ago some strange men from out of town appeared and ransacked the clinic. _

_"Luckily, Gensai-sensei was out at the time and the patients were able to escape the ensuing fire. Yahiko, who was visiting the clinic confronted the attackers and was hurt, but it is Tsubame who took the brunt of the injuries._

_"She is seriously wounded and Yahiko blames himself for the entire incident. Gensai-sensei and Megumi are keeping Tsubame under close watch. When I told her of our acquaintance with you, she told me to write and tell you what had happened immediately. _

_"By the time Kenshin had arrived the attackers had fled so we weren't able to find anything out and Yahiko was too worried about Tsubame to pursue. _

_"What's going on? Is everything okay? Megumi is being evasive, saying she doesn't know, but I'm not sure I believe her." _

Why wasn't he here, now, to help her?

But of course, he couldn't be. He was out there, doing what she'd told him to.

She sighed despairingly wondering if she looked half as distraught as she was feeling.

Uneasy, she headed back to her desk and pulled out another blank white sheet of paper and reached for her inkwell.

Kamatari had suggested keeping a journal and Okina had approved saying it would help her writing skills to practice. Her calligraphy wasn't the best but she'd improved a lot.

She hadn't managed to keep the pages in order, they were scattered here and there, tucked in the covers and pages of all her medicinal herb books.

She sighed again dipping the tip of her wolf's hair brush into the ink.

_"Another day - more conflict. Aoshi is on his way back and the time as finally come. Makimachi Misao, last surviving member of the former Okashira is about to embark on her final task for the Oniwabanshuu. _

_"I hope I don't royally screw it up."

* * *

_

It took more than two agonizing hours. Misao had not once stepped out of her office and had, in fact, been totally silent. Okina had waited in the main room for Aoshi to appear reading over a paper he'd picked up from a newsboy in the street on one of the several anxious walks he'd taken.

When, finally, Aoshi showed up, he looked a bit tired but not particularly alarmed despite the urgent message Okina had sent to summon him. He had been on his way back to the Aoiya already, Okina was certain; the message had merely hastened him along.

"She's waiting for you."

Aoshi nodded and headed in the direction of her office, bag still on his shoulder.

Although curious, Okina turned back to his book, trying to quell his trepidation. He would find out soon enough.

The knock was faint, but audible and her call for him to enter the same. Aoshi stepped inside, curious and slightly troubled by the urgent summons he'd received from Okina.

He'd rushed to get back here, worrying that Misao had been injured, but there she sat. Small and bright eyed and perfectly safe.

He suddenly felt like all his rushing had been for nothing until she looked up at him. He wasn't wrong in worrying after all - she _was _troubled. The entire atmosphere of the room was heavy, almost foreboding.

The warning about Takani he'd thought had been warranted. Was that what had upset her this much?

No, couldn't possibly...

"I hate cowardly people so I really hate what I'm thinking about. I don't like running away from problems I've caused or having people fix them for me. That's even worse."

"But I don't want anyone to die because I didn't think things through completely."

"So that's it." She stood up, a heavy sigh escaping her pouting mouth. Her heavy western chair skidded back as she moved. "JIYA!" she called loudly.

Several moments of silence held them captive until the door slid open and the old man appeared.

"Hmm? You call, Misao?" His voice didn't foretell of his anxiety, but the message in his eyes was easy enough for Aoshi to read.

"I've made a decision."

The tone of her voice was telling. The same somber tone that was almost mournful spoke of her apparent heaviness of heart.

"What decision would that be?" Okina inquired, his slipper covered feet spread shoulder length on the floor, his hands folded together in front of him. The man's serene expression caused Aoshi even more unease. Was Okina worried about her also?

"I'm not going to be Okashira anymore."

Okina nodded in response to the flatly delivered statement. She said it almost like a petulant child, but without the gusto such tantrums usually included.

"So then you've decided to accept Aoshi as your husband and leader here?"

"Stupid rules..." she muttered, dropping back into her chair. "That's what it means... Don't make me spell it out for you; this is bad enough as it is."

She had looked away, refusing to meet either of their gazes and the still quiet that followed her comment seemed impossible to break.

It was Aoshi who disturbed the dead, dry air of the room by speaking aloud. "Would you leave us?"

The question, intended for Okina, was met with hesitation. The older man's sudden doubt and worry were apparent for all of a few seconds before they disappeared beneath another serene mask.

"Of course. I will prepare the others. I had spoken previously to the temple priest and he told us he would be ready at any time that you are. Should I request his presence also?"

Neither Misao nor Aoshi said anything. When Aoshi was convinced Misao was not going to answer, he decided to do so himself.

"Yes."

Okina looked over at him.

"If I am to take over for Misao, there is no need for her to be separate from me. It's best to marry now."

Okina, it seemed, was not quite prepared for this, was he? The old man nodded, suddenly seeming ten years older.

"If you have objections..." Aoshi turned to Misao. "Voice them now."

She just sat back in her chair and shook her head. "No use in avoiding the inevitable."

Okina sighed like the weight of re-roofing the entire Aoiya just been placed upon his shoulders. "Yes, good point, my dear. Very well. I will summon the priest as well."

Okina left them, his feet moving slow. When he was gone, Misao stood. Her tiny shoulders were hunched, her chin tilted downward toward the table.

"It was too late to warn her."

Aoshi's gaze sharpened on Misao. Was that what this was about? Had she decided to give over the position of Okashira because something had happened to Megumi?

"Gensai's clinic was attacked and set ablaze. Takani-san was not injured and everyone is all right, but Yahiko and Tsubame were hurt. Kaoru says Yahiko's friend is doing very badly."

She, no doubt, felt at fault for the entire incident. He watched her stand there a moment, shoulders drooped, eyes distant and lips turned down before he moved.

The simple forward stepping motion he made caused her head to snap up, and her eyes to follow him as he stepped around the desk.

"It's fine."

The words obviously didn't reassure her. She stared at him blankly before a sour look replaced it. "Fine? It's not fine. People are hurt and the building they had was damaged if it's not still burning and-"

He reached, pulling her away from her chair to step by her and then sat down in the Okashira's chair himself causing her look to turn even more mutinous.

He forestalled any comments she may have made further when he reached for her again. She 'yelped' as he turned her, pulling her into his lap, her back against his chest.

Her tension, he knew, was due more to the fact she was uncomfortable by the sudden intimacy.

"You- hey! I am _not_ a little kid!"

He tucked his arms around her, plastering her little body against him. He could feel her small, uncertain trembles.

"You're going to trust me as your leader, aren't you?" he murmured.

"... Yeah. Although I feel like I'm betting my life on a game of dice," she huffed, but not even her tone could mask her restlessness.

He didn't believe she felt that way. It wasn't some fifty-fifty notion that had made her call him back here.

"You trust me, don't you?" he murmured, pressing his lips against her ear. "You called for me."

"I don't need you to take care of me," she grumbled.

Of course she would say so, but Misao's insecurities lie in her want to be appreciated as a woman. In his experience, women wanted to be taken care of, and he suspected she wanted the same.

He moved his hand to curve against her knee. Her skin was soft and she was so small in his arms, it amazed him. He slid it up, moving softly up her thigh. He felt, more than heard her gasp as she slid his hand beneath the bottom edge of her shorts.

He pushed his hand further beneath the fabric until he could feel it at his wrist, his fingertips reaching toward her hip.

"It's an honorable thing," he murmured, his voice low.

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

"The relationship between a husband and wife," he replied. "You're trembling. Are you afraid?"

She twisted around and he had to pull his hand back. "Afraid?" she repeated. Her expression changed from unsure to annoyed. "We do not have time for this! Aren't you going to do something?"

She moved to stand, but he stopped her, his hands sliding around her waist, pulling her back.

"Nothing can be done yet."

"What do you mean, 'nothing'? There are lots of things that can be done-"

Again, he stopped her. "Not until the ceremonies are over."

She attempted to twist around yet again and he let her so they stared at one another face to face.

"Houji's exact location at the moment is unknown, and we can no more stop the clinic from burning to the ground than we can save your friends from their injuries."

"That doesn't mean there aren't other things to do."

"The Aoiya will be too involved for the next few hours trying to prepare the ceremonies. Tonight is for us - tomorrow, I will send messengers out at first light. We can do nothing sooner."

Just in time to interrupt there was a soft tap, tap on the door. Aoshi beckoned the guest to enter and Okina softly petitioned Misao's presence.

She slid off his lap without his permission and left him and Okina bowed respectively before going after her.

* * *

It was four long hours later and well into the night when they had settled down in a common room. The others were joyous and happy, drinking and eating.

Misao was curled up in his lap, her cheeks flushed and eyes glassy. The nine cups of sake involved in the wedding ceremony had probably been a couple too many and they hadn't even gotten to the ceremony for him to take over as Okashira yet.

He didn't doubt that involved yet more sake and Misao really just wasn't up to it.

He hadn't yet decided to put it off for the following day or go ahead and give the word to proceed.

She'd been surprisingly quiet curled up in his lap with him, her head against his chest. Her being this intoxicated was providing him with one too many problems, least of which ended in his taking her to bed.

He didn't exactly want her passed out cold in the futon, that simply would not due and if things kept going in this direction she'd be passed out before the Okashira ceremony was over and he wasn't going to do anything to her while she was sleeping.

Inevitably, tomorrow she'd wake up with a headache and probably sick and so he wouldn't get to consummate their marriage until _tomorrow_ night. He sighed, not liking the turn of events and yet being completely unable to do anything about them.

Aoshi nodded succinctly toward Okina and the old man rose.

"Now we shall commence the last ceremony of the evening."

He moved toward the front of the room where supplies had been laid out upon a table. He brought toward Aoshi a tightly wrapped scroll, a small sheathed dagger and a bottle of sake.

"Is it necessary for her to drink anymore?"

Okina looked up as he kneeled on the other side of the table. Old eyes glanced down at Misao, but she didn't look up at him, she stayed snuggled against Aoshi, eyes closed.

"The sake is not for drinking in this ritual," Okina informed him. "I will explain it. In any case, if you are worried, Misao is not drunk yet."

Aoshi cast a glance toward the young woman in his arms only to see her glaring at other man.

"She has a high tolerance for alcohol, don't you little one?" he cast her leering smile and she growled.

"Shut up, Jiya!"

"Normally she is bouncing around the room singing when she drinks a little too much, but she hasn't had very much tonight. They were very small cups we used for your wedding." He grinned.

She was scooped across his lap, her legs both in one direction, her back cradled by his arm. Her white kimono was not the fancy formal wear of most weddings, but they had neither the time or money for such decorum.

She was not drunk then, Aoshi wondered? He had thought her to be on the verge of being knocked out for the rest of the night. Did she want him to think that or was she just nervous?

"Shall we begin?"

Everyone was watching them and it had to be done. Sitting up straighter he shifted and Misao slipped from his lap, curling her legs under her body properly as they both faced the table.

Okina produced a strip of clean white cloth and cut it into four neat sections, folding them gently into little white pads about just greater than the span of two fingers.

Misao looked away, a moment later Okina looked up, a smile on his lips as though he were well pleased. "This ceremony is simple and quick and relatively painless. Don't squirm, Misao."

She pouted. "Do we have to do it like this?"

"Yes, it is how it is done."

She made a sour face toward him that had many of the others watching them smiling.

Okina turned solemn eyes toward Aoshi. "You will be bound to us for the entirety of your life by the blood of the Makimachi clan and our honorable founders through Misao. Breaking of this blood oath of any kind is betrayal and the punishment is death."

Aoshi nodded in acceptance.

"Misao?"

She gave a heavy sigh and shifted herself up so she was no longer sitting but kneeling up, casting her eyes about the room.

"Before this room of our people I acknowledge this man, Shinomori Aoshi, to be the one I have approved to be our new leader."

Her voice was strong and clear and there was nothing of the earlier signs he had interpreted of her drunkenness.

"Although this would really be a bad time to say, maybe it's not such a good idea. You know, Jiya, we should have done this before me and Aoshi-sama got married."

He shot her a look.

"I'm just kidding about changing my mind, but really, what if I did?"

"Misao," he warned and she settled back down with a shrug.

"You people have no sense of humor."

Wisely, no one commented, but there were a few smirks.

Okina popped the top of the sake bottle and dabbed the liquor onto the first white cloth pad and took Misao's hand. He was just about to rub her palm when Misao stopped him.

"We're probably on the eve of a fight with someone, so maybe you shouldn't cut our hands. It would make it harder to hold our weapons."

Okina looked surprised at the logic, but agreed with a slight incline of his head and instead began to rub the alcohol against the skin just below her wrist. He discarded the cloth and took the second and wiped the same area on Aoshi's arm before reaching for the blade.

Misao looked away before he pressed the blade to her skin and flinched when the knife bit her skin.

He repeated the same on Aoshi's arm.

A small trickle of crimson bubbled to the surface in one perfect droplet. It was so little the blood didn't even drip.

Okina guided their arms so they pressed together, their blood smearing against each other's skin.

"Aoshi, repeat after me," Okina guided and the other man nodded and obeyed. "With this blood offering... I hereby accept the position of Okashira... To stand against all enemies... To protect all holdings... To guide all our members... To ensure the continuation of this line... To enforce our codes and ethics... And to protect to, to the last, the core of this organization... the Makimachi bloodline."

When the last line was repeated back Okina turned his back to them.

"Oniwbanshuu brothers..."

The group replied in unison, seeming to know what was expected of them. "Yes?"

"Do you accept this man as our new leader?"

"Yes!"

Misao watched as the room of ninja's simultaneously bowed, their foreheads almost touching the floor.

Okina turned back and wet the last two pads of cloth with the sake and handed one to each. Misao winced as she touched the alcohol to her wound.

"With this then, we accept you as ours."

* * *

It was almost an hour past midnight before Aoshi and Misao left the great room and headed upstairs. Misao went before him, not interested in the general talk of the room and no one was disrespectful enough of Aoshi to make any teasing remarks about her going.

Half the room had fallen over drunk where they lay before Aoshi took his leave of them. Okina was suspiciously absent having gone to retrieve more sake and never returned. The man had consumed copious amounts of liquor and Aoshi imagined he had passed out somewhere.

He made his way to the stairs and toward her room, unable to repress the anxious feelings building within him.

He was the Okashira now, her room, her and everything in this building now belonged to him.

He laid his hand flat against the doorframe leading inside. The wood was smooth and cool against his hand. There was no jolt; no feeling that welled up in him just because he knew she was within.

He slid his hand down to tuck his fingers in the finger cup and slid open the door. She was not laying in bed waiting for him; the room wasn't dark and intimate.

The window was open on one side, but she wasn't standing beside it. The floor was bare and empty, no futon rolled out for sleeping.

She was standing with her back to him, rooting through a cabinet. "Come on in, Aoshi-sama. Sorry, nothing's ready." She stopped and turned back. "I didn't know what to do actually, but I wasn't about to sit here twisting my hands nervously waiting for you to show up, so I started cleaning and well... As you can see, nothing is... where it's supposed to be."

He didn't know where things were supposed to be, so he took her word for it.

He stepped in and slid the door closed behind him. She shifted from one foot to another.

"Well... since you're here, the futon cabinet is over there."

She pointed across the room, but made no move toward it herself, obviously intending him to lay out their bedding for the night. He did as she asked and she turned back to shuffling through the cabinet.

"It doesn't matter what I wear, right? Since... I guess I won't be wearing it long?"

He hid his grin by keeping his back to her. "Whatever you are comfortable in."

He laid out the bedding and stared at the small nest on the floor.

"Leave it."

"Huh?" she looked up.

He held out his hand. "Grab the candle, come with me."

She blinked in surprise, but did as he asked. "I'm not really dressed to leave the room, this is only a slip."

"No one is nearby, they are all still downstairs."

Finding she was unable to get out of leaving the room, she grabbed the candle and followed after.

The hall was dark and quiet and downstairs she could hear them still carrying on. They probably would be well up until dawn and then the Aoiya would be at half-staff the next morning.

Aoshi stepped into his room. A much larger bed awaited them there as prepared by Omasu and Okon. He had originally planned to bring Misao here and then changed his mind when he realized she had probably gone to her own room. Only the bed there was far too small and he didn't want to roll over onto the cold floor.

She stepped in behind him and sat the candle down beside the bed, but out of reach near the head where it wouldn't be knocked over.

"So...?"

He reached behind him to slip the knot of his yukata and she backed away a step.

He pulled it off, but kept the material closed. "Take the sash off, go ahead and get into the bed."

She turned her back to him and he didn't rush her, watching as he material uncoiled and slipped to the floor. She fumbled as she kneeled down and he could see her bare knee as the material parted and she slipped beneath the blanket.

"Do you want the candle on?"

She nodded wordlessly and he came to the bedside and kneeled down. She scooted over toward the wall and he slid into the bed beside her.

Pulling the blanket over him he paused a moment and then slid his yukata off his shoulders and reached for her.

Her eyes were luminous and beautiful by candlelight. He touched his fingertips to her jaw and leaned close, brushing a kiss to her cheek.

"Relax, I won't rush you."

He turned his head and nuzzled against her neck and she sighed softly.

* * *

End Chapter Eleven.

AN: One chapter to go and I am finished with this. Yay!


	12. Part 12 Final

**Being Okashira**

**Part Twelve

* * *

**

Misao woke hours after sunrise in a futon that was not her own and on top of that, she was alone. She blinked herself awake and realized, belatedly, where she was. She yawned and patted down the futon, looking for her slip. She found it under the covers at the very bottom of the bed, how it had gotten down there, she could only wonder.

Reasonably dressed she headed toward the door and peeked out. The hall was clear.

With that, she slipped out and quickly headed down the hall to duck back into her own room. She quickly scrapped her attire and frowned before re-dressing in the slip and a yukata before heading down to the bath house. She hoped no one was in there.

As she turned a corner she met Omasu and Okon, with bath supplies in hand, headed for the bath.

"Ah, there you are sleepy-head." Okon grinned.

Misao frowned at her.

"Uh oh... " Omasu mirrored Misao's frown before slowing to let the younger girl catch up. She caught Misao's sleeve and stilled her, leaning down. "Did it go badly?" she whispered.

"Omasu!" Okon chided. "Outside to the bath house."

The look on her face was telling.

No discussing delicate issues indoors were male ears were no doubt listening.

They headed outside for the sanctuary of the bath house.

Within, the questioning began.

* * *

Inside, Okina and Aoshi had been sitting in counsel for almost two hours. An empty tray of tea sat off to one side, servants having been forbid from disturbing them.

"I see," Aoshi replied sedately. "Then I shall go immediately."

"Go? Personally? Do you think that's wise?"

Aoshi spared the older man a glance. "It would seem cowardly of me to send someone else to Tokyo when we are at fault for the destruction there. I will see the Battousi myself. I will not disgrace Misao or betray the trust she's placed in me."

The new leader rose to his feet, Okina followed suit, but his old face was bearing a heavy frown. "I understand, but I remain firm in my opinion this is unwise. Your image to the Battousai cannot be more important than the stability of our home."

Aoshi turned away. "Even if something happened to me, as long as Misao is safe the group will be fine. She can marry another and life here will continue."

Okina's frown deepened as he watched his new commander step out the door.

* * *

"Shut up! Don't say that again!" Misao warned, her face bright red. "I am not doing that, that's gross!"

The two girls erupted into laughter.

"Why not? He'll really like it," Omasu promised with a wink.

"Eeew..." Misao made a face at the other two as they sat in the steaming water. The earlier washing had been refreshing and she felt clean and new.

"You're sure you're okay?" Okon asked.

Misao stared into the steaming water. "I'm fine. You see Aoshi this morning?"

They both nodded. "Yes, he came down early and he and Okina have been talking for a while."

Omasu leaned forward slightly. "But seriously, Misao, under all those clothes, he's just as gorgeous, isn't he?"

Misao's head snapped up and Okon slapped Omasu with a rag. "Leave her alone already."

Misao sighed and stood, wrapping a towel around herself. "I'll see you later."

The two exchanged glances as she left, unsure if she really was okay. "You think he was rough on her?"

"I don't know," Okon replied. "I wouldn't think so, Aoshi seems sweet on her."

Omasu's eyes widened. "Really? You think so?"

"Haven't you seen how he watches her?"

The other shrugged. "I just figured that's because he was acting like her bodyguard."

"Well..." Okon admitted. "I kind of thought that at first too, but bringing her milk and stuff like that, what kind of bodyguard does that?"

They shared a smile as they pictured Aoshi handing Misao a glass of milk.

* * *

As Misao approached the house, her hair wet and wrapped in a towel draped over her shoulder, the outer side door opened. She came to a stop, not looking up, only seeking to avoid a collision.

When the person didn't move, she looked up impatiently, still patting her hair, only a little surprised to see Aoshi.

He stepped out and pulled the door closed behind him. For a moment he just stood there staring at her.

"Are you well?" he asked, after several long moments.

She nodded, feeling awkward suddenly. "I'm okay."

He waited another moment before accepting her comment as though waiting for her to change her answer. "I'm leaving for Tokyo in an hour."

"So soon?"

He nodded.

"Oh..."

"Misao!" The shout came from behind her and she turned just in time to see Omasu and Okon skid to a hasty stop several feet away as they noticed Aoshi. "Oh, sorry, sorry..."

Aoshi turned and walked inside without a word, leaving the door open. "Sorry Misao, we didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's okay," she replied with a small smile. "It wasn't really going anywhere.. It's just... kinda... you know... awkward."

The two older women exchanged smiles and descended on the younger female.

"You just have to give it a little while. You know Aoshi-sama's..." she caught herself before she said 'an ice-block' and instead just trailed off.

"What she means to say is that marriages take time that's all. It'll work out."

* * *

An hour later found Misao lingering in the hall near Aoshi's office. She kept taking surreptitious glances around, but no one really seemed to notice her lingering. She paced, anxiously, waiting for him to show but time ticked away and nothing happened. Just as she was beginning to think he'd already gone and left her, he appeared just behind her startling her as she turned.

"Ah! There you are! I thought I missed you…"

"Why didn't you just come to my door?"

She glanced away. "Er… I guess I just thought I'd wait…"

Aoshi slid his travel bag from his shoulder and handed it off to the lackey standing just behind him.

"Wait for me outside," he ordered curtly and the nameless soldier nodded, bowed, and hurried off leaving them alone just inside the corridor.

"I just wanted to wish you luck and bid you to be careful and stuff… and to ask if you wanted me to come along, of course."

"No, you shall remain here."

She frowned not willing to argue over it. "I thought you'd say that. Be careful then."

He nodded solemnly and started to move past her when she caught him by the sleeve.

"Er, wait… you're not even going to say goodbye to me?" she pouted.

He stared at moment glancing down at her luminous eyes. When he showed no signs of moving she stepped up and grabbed the front of his uniform to pull him down. He leaned in the direction of her pulling and their lips met awkwardly.

"Oops!" she gasped as their teeth clashed. "Ouch."

He slid an arm about her waist and pulled her against him sealing their lips together briefly. When he stepped back her cheeks were flushed.

"I will return shortly.

She nodded absently.

* * *

When Aoshi was gone things settled down into their normal routine with Misao bouncing around a little more than she had before as she was no longer bogged down with reading.

She seemed to enjoy making Okina smile and bounced around him especially.

It was the pitch of night when the others were preparing to head up the stairs and to their beds, the guard shifts switching, when the first sound was heard.

A click and then a crackle.

The drowsy residents inside were startled, shaken by fear in the pits of their bellies onto their feet when a shout came from outside.

"ATTACK!"

The crackle became a roar near the front of building as the roof tiles caught fire.

Everyone scrambled for their weapons.

Misao shot out of her room and into the hall, her clothes slightly askew, her hands full of kunai.

"Misao, get Misao out!" someone shouted in the background, but the slight female vanished into the darkness of the corridor and the growing chaos and smoke filling the building as the fire broke through inside.

The grunts and shouts of battle were accompanied by fits of violent coughing as the combatants struggled to break.

Wood crackled and cracked, ceiling beams tumbling downward as the building structure became compromised as the fire quickly spread.

Confusion ruled the Aoiya.

The scent of blood and smoke contaminated the air and no one could account for anybody else.

* * *

Aoshi stared at the shorter man with a frown, barely noting the woman behind him.

"Kenshin?" she spoke hesitantly.

"Stay back Kaoru-dono," he calmly ordered. The woman paused but did as the red haired man commanded and stayed where she was, watching.

"Can this unworthy one help you?"

Aoshi's frown deepened. "You know Misao?"

The woman gasped loudly and rushed forward, curling her fingers into Kenshin's sleeve. "Has something happened to Misao?"

Aoshi ignored the woman's comment and stared at the man.

"Misao and I have wed. I am looking for Houji Satojima."

Kenshin took a step away from the dojo gate, motioning Kaoru back. "I'll be back later."

Aoshi took note of the fact that he had not said 'we will be back later', but he was not offended. He deserved it, he supposed, having gone through such extraordinary lengths to hurt the man before him.

He followed the shorter red haired man as he began to walk away from the dojo. The woman watched them.

"You know where he is?" Aoshi asked, eager to get the information and go.

"Misao-dono seemed like a nice girl, that she did," Kenshin spoke, his voice even and conversational. "This means you are the new leader then, are you not?"

Aoshi all but grit his teeth at the delay, but his own men had been unable to find out Houji's location. Himura was merely a source of information, one that was apparently going to be difficult.

"Do you know where Houji is located?" Aoshi pressed.

"Yo! Kenshin? That asshole giving you trouble again?"

Aoshi looked up to see Sagara Sanosuke, former gangster and apparent best friend of Kenshin's strolling toward them. Thankfully the hot headed idiot left his zanbanto somewhere else.

Aoshi took a deep, silent breath.

"I have immediate business with him," Aoshi added. "He is directly responsible for the attack and injures your acquaintances suffered recently."

Kenshin shifted and seemed to be thinking. "I do not know where Houji-san is, that I do not."

"You talking about that weird dude with funny hair and big forehead?" Sano interjected. "I know where he's at. The guy's got a big mouth for someone who can't take a hit…"

Aoshi turned toward Sano curiously. "Where might I find him?"

Sano crossed his arms. "Well that depends on what I get out of it…"

Aoshi couldn't believe his luck. This man wanted money?

"You wish me to pay you for information?"

"Nah, not looking for money right now, but if you're going somewhere for a fight, count me in. I've been looking for a good fight and all you ever seem to do is fight so… hey, I'll tell you where he is as long as I get to come."

"No," Aoshi answered. "It's none of your business."

"Hey! It's your damn fault that this happened in the first place."

"Sano!" Kenshin warned.

Aoshi pressed his lips together sternly. It had actually been Misao who had sent Takani here, but she had done so innocently. He would not take badgering of her actions lightly.

He moved to grab the offending youth but Kenshin stepped between them.

"It is not good to fight among ourselves, that is not."

"Watch how you speak of my wife," Aoshi warned, his tone brooking no argument.

Sano stared back confused. "Wife?"

No one addressed him. "Come along if you like, but take me to where he is." Calculating the risks, Aoshi decided he didn't care if the idiot got himself involved and then too deeply involved.

If he got the crap kicked out him, so be it.

"All right, this way!"

He could always ditch the guy later.

* * *

The Aoiya was crumbling about its edges. There was extensive fire damage to the roof and the entire front half of the building. Okina had been burned trying to help the others extinguish the blaze, four of the front guardsmen had been killed and there were injuries all around.

Once daylight shone over the Aoiya, Misao had gone into hyper-active mode, ushering people to sick rooms, bandaging, making tea, mopping floors. Anything and everything to keep her hands and her mind occupied.

She'd been crazy with anxiety. Her own injuries, which consisted of a handful of bruises and a nice, ugly slash across her abdomen had kept her busy at night.

She went back and forth between being distraught over it and convinced it would be fine with just a little time.

It was worse though, during the night. She was accustomed to sleeping alone, as she had done so her whole life, but Aoshi's absence was un-fillable.

She missed him direly.

She wanted someone to hold onto. Someone to comfort her and reassure her, someone just to be there with her. Someone who wasn't going to pat her head like a child and... she sighed.

When she wasn't going crazy with a hammer and nails or cleaning she was in her room, moping. The bottom half of the stairs had been burned in the fire and she'd been warned they were unstable, but she continued to go up and down them. The entire section of flooring there was being replaced. The sound of hammering went on and on and on, making her temples throb.

People had died.

Things were a mess.

This was all her fault, she knew it was.

All because of her brilliant idea to get involved with that stupid clinic. That annoying woman Takani was _always_ trouble... and yet... she couldn't blame this problem on the lady doctor.

It was Houji who was responsible, no one else.

The hammering downstairs continued as Shiro and Kuro continued to lay floorboards down and numerous others ripped off roof tiles to replace the wood beams beneath.

The noise would never end.

* * *

Sagara Sanosuke was an idiot. Aoshi had little patience with idiots, but he couldn't deny the man was headstrong. He considered Sanosuke his battering ram and the lummox had successfully broken through not only the front gates of Houji's mansion, but the front door as well. He and Sanosuke had, without the Battousai's help, made it to the front lobby. 

Bodies littered the ground outside, but the inside of the house was deathly silent.

There were no shuffling feet above in the upper floors, no sounds of bodyguards rushing to challenge the intruders.

"Che, those lame asses. You afraid? Wanna piece of me?" Sanosuke growled, walking ahead of Aoshi.

Aoshi walked to the stairs and quickly went up. Without turning back, he gave his orders.

"Check the rooms, find Houji."

Aoshi's men filtered in behind Sanosuke and began splitting off, rummaging through.

The rest followed Aoshi up the stairs.

"Aoshi-sama! We got 'em!"

The quiet ninja leader turned toward the voice and began walking toward the right side, following the balcony hall. The mansion was plush and overtly western.

Big, green plants decorated the hall beside every doorway and ostentatious chairs were set up at the end of the hall near the balcony with an equally showy table.

The door at the end of the hall was guarded by two of his men holding their weapons drawn in front of them. The entire place smelled like... lamp oil.

Aoshi stepped into the office to see the same, plain faced man he'd encountered once before. The man's thin mouth was curved downward into a frown; his wide forehead bore tiny droplets of sweat.

He was alone, undefended in the little office, surrounded by books. Shelves and shelves of books sat on both sides and behind the desk where Houji sat.

"So, you've come to visit, have you?" Houji drawled.

Aoshi ignored the comment.

"The Clinic... I want it."

Houji leaned back in his chair, propping his elbows up on the heavy wooden armrests, locking his fingers together. The man's face twisted into an expression of conniving pleasure. "What's it worth to you?"

Aoshi checked a growl at the arrogant response. Houji was obviously outnumbered and yet he continued on with such overconfidence?

"Lame ass scum bag!"

Aoshi turned just as Sanosuke stepped by him and toward Houji. No one tried to stop the rambunctious street fighter as he grabbed Houji's collar and yanked him to his feet.

"I'll tell you what it's worth... It's worth one gigantic ass kicking. You ready?"

"Really, Shinomori, call back your dog of war... Can we not discuss it like gentlemen?"

"I want the clinic," Aoshi replied.

"Clinic?" Sano paused. "What clinic? Yo, what's up here, Shinomori?"

Houji threw back his head and laughed.

Aoshi ignored him.

"You fool, fools, all of you are fools."

Sano scoffed and punched the man in the face, stopping his tirade. "Yo, shut up. What's this about a clinic, Shinomori?"

Aoshi, again, refused to acknowledge him.

"You will sign over the clinic to me, now, or I will dismantle you, one limb at time," Aoshi announced calmly.

The ninja's around them drew their blades up before them, turning toward Houji.

Houji shifted, reaching for the drawer, pulling out a white sheet of paper.

"Fine, fine. Take it, but was it worth it? That's the question." Houji began to laugh again, in his own little world.

Aoshi reached for an examined the document. When satisfied with the authenticity, he motioned to his men.

"Handle him."

Sanosuke released Houji and followed Aoshi as the former turned and quickly left the room. He headed down the stairs, with Sano almost on his heels.

"Yo! What the hell is going on here!" Sano barked. "What's this about a clinic? I thought we were here for payback because of Gensai's place."

"You were mistaken," Aoshi replied, stepping out the front door. Immediately, one of his foot soldiers stepped up.

"Aoshi-sama, this came for you just now. I was told it was urgent."

He unfolded the slip of paper with quick fingers. The message was short and grave.

_"Aoiya was attacked. There have been deaths." _

Deaths?

"Handle him," Aoshi ordered. "The rest, return to your home bases."

Deaths?

Had Misao been injured?

Was the note short and concise because no one wanted to alarm him? He fled toward the train station. He needed to be in Kyoto _now._

* * *

Aoshi pushed the door to Misao's room and stepped in, ignoring Okina on the other side and closing the door quite rudely in his face. He turned, slowly, to find her standing by the window. Her arms were crossed in front of her, her hair trailing in one long waterfall hung from the top of her head. 

There were gentle waves in the deep colored hair from the continuous braiding. The little of her skin he could see from his place at the doorway looked pale and cold.

She was wearing a beige colored yukata, the blue sash around her waist was light colored and looked almost painfully tight. Pretty, he thought, stepping closer.

"You are unwell?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice, whirling around to plaster herself against the wall, looking startled.

"Hey! Don't sneak up on people!"

She had one hand tucked around her abdomen protectively, although it was pressed there loosely.

"You were injured?"

She looked away, her pale complexion tinting slightly. "Just a scratch. How did it go?"

He ignored her, stepping closer. She looked like she might flinch away as he reached for her, but he snagged her wrist and leaned close. He caught a gasp against his lips as he pressed his to hers.

She trembled at the contact, eyes wide. He repressed a grin and leaned closer, angling his mouth against hers. She relaxed as his lips caressed hers gently, his hands sliding down to her waist, finding and pressing against her hips.

She moaned softly, delighting him with the tiny sound as she weakened against him. He drew his lips back one moment and watched as her eyes flutter open.

Her freshly kissed lips were full and wet. He leaned toward them once more, sliding his mouth over hers with a mastery that had her knees weak. He locked his arms around her waist, supporting her more fully, tempted to prop her against the windowsill.

She surrendered softly, moaning weakly against his mouth, almost a guttural sound. He slid his tongue against her lips, probing, encouraging, wanting. She whimpered at the soft touch, allowing his tongue to slid just slightly so between her lips.

He darted his tongue boldly between her lips when she didn't seem appalled by the motion, moving his hands inward, toward the narrow tie at her waist. He moved slowly, possessing her mouth while he pulled at the tie, letting the ends flutter gently down.

He pressed his hands flat, sliding beneath the fabric. He moved back a half a step, dropping his gaze down her neck, watching as he parted the thin garment. Her body was wrapped beneath the thin linen, her chest and abdomen covered.

Across the gentle curve of her belly liquid looked to be just leaking through the pristine bandages, a brown oily like color seeping at the edges.

"Just a scratch?"

She blinked and regained hold of herself, straightening. Her expression tightened into one of disappointment and anger and embarrassment.

She opened her mouth to snap at him, but he cut her off, crushing his mouth against hers. He drew his arms around her, trapping her beating fists down by her sides as her arms were held captive.

He knelt down rubbing his fingers over the delicate bandage. How had someone struck her so badly? Was it bad? Did she require a doctor?

He leaned forward and rested his forehead against her belly, just above her bandage and she stilled. He closed his eyes and breathed her in.

"Did it go okay?" she asked. Her voice held a faint tremble, and he could feel the quiver of her frame.

"Aa," he answered. "Is this your only injury?"

He continued to keep his face pressed against her, his eyes closed, just feeling her. Misao had a presence, something he hadn't realized until he'd left a few days previous, that he missed.

"Yeah, pretty much. I don't count the bruises."

She didn't count the bruises?

How many bruises did she have?

He tightened his hands in the material of her garment and sighed inaudibly.

He'd taken the first train available back half expecting she might be dead. He considered himself lucky that he hadn't found her neither dead nor confined to her bed with injuries.

He determined then, he would not care to return to the Aoiya under such duress in the future and made a note to order more advanced training for her. He would also redesign the security layout. There should never be a situation so outstanding that Misao would have to get involved.

"I missed you!" Misao wriggled her limbs free threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. Much more quietly, she murmured, "What happened to Houji?"

"Prison…"

"Prison, " she repeated, nuzzling her head against his chest. "That's good. Everyone okay?"

"Aa."

She sighed, relieved. He could feel the tension seep from her frame as she was reassured. Slowly he eased her down onto the futon and curled up beside her. They could talk it all out later if necessary.

Misao fell to sleep quickly beside him. She was youthful and soft in appearance and the strain that he hadn't noticed there before, was now noticeably missing.

He relaxed slowly as his anxieties faded. He'd gotten word that Houji had been sentenced to twenty five years and there was no immediate pressing business that would take him away from Misao.

Tomorrow, together, they could start their life together.

Tomorrow, they could begin to build their empire.

Tomorrow, tomorrow…

He hoped they would live their lives without the false hope that _there's always tomorrow._

_

* * *

AN: Lame. This story sucked. Goodbye bad story, goodbye. _


End file.
